AUBURN — The Auburn Sewerage District will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to present information on a proposed sewer rate increase and to hear customer concerns and answer questions.

The hearing will be at the Auburn Public Library, 49 Spring St.

According to a letter sent to customers on Jan. 4, Superintendent Sid Hazelton explained the district is proposing a new rate schedule to raise an additional 15 percent in revenue, or $574,000 for the year.

The proposal is to raise the rate from $2.45 per 100 cubic feet — 748 gallons — to $3.16.

According to Hazelton’s letter, the typical residential customer with usage of 165 gallons per day would see a $4.70 increase in the monthly bill.

The rate increase is required to cover federally-mandated capital projects to eliminate combined sewer overflow discharges into the Androscoggin and Little Androscoggin rivers.

Over the last 15 years Auburn has spent nearly $18 million on CSO elimination projects, and another $2.6 million in projects will be needed over the next five years to meet the mandate.

In addition, according to the letter, the rate increase will help cover district costs “due to a downturn in overall usage.”

The district last raised the rate from $2.09 to $2.45 per 100 cubic feet on Dec. 1, 2014 to increase revenue by 9 percent. The last increase before that was in 2009.

To see the Auburn Sewerage District’s 2016 budget, go to awsd.org.

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