JAY – Trustees of the North Jay Water District are proposing a nearly 11 percent rate hike.
They are holding a public hearing on the issue at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Water District office at 15 Mountain View St., off Old Jay Hill Road.
The district’s last increase was in 2004 when residential rates increased 33.4 percent from $46 for the first 1,000 cubic feet of water, or about 750 gallons, to $60.
Prior to that, the last rate increase was in 1995.
Under the proposed rate increase, a residential customer’s base rate would increase about $6 to about $66, Water District Superintendent Richard Jackson said Friday.
The proposed rate hike covers residential commercial, public authorities, private and public fire protection with an overall increase of $13,677 in revenues between all entities.
The district also plans to borrow $50,000 from the municipal bond bank to pay off a short-term loan for the Maxwell Road project, where the district had to relocate a water main that ran under a private septic system.
Over the past two years, the district has had a “huge amount of problems” including several unanticipated breaks in water lines that needed to be repaired, Jackson said.
Labor costs and repairs have contributed to increased operating costs, he said.
Customers have the right to petition the Public Utilities Commission to suspend and investigate rates before March 15.
If the PUC approves the rate increase, it is expected to go into effect April 1.
If customers have questions they may call the Water District at 645-2812 or the public advocate at 287-2445.
Comments are no longer available on this story