AUBURN – While there’s a 1 percent increase in spending proposed, water district customers shouldn’t see a rate increase until 2005.

Superintendent Norm Lamie said the proposed 2004 budget is $2,515,600, an increase of $24,000 from this year’s $2,491,600. Projected spending this year is substantially over budget at $2,658,600.

“We try to look at water rates on a two- to three-year cycle. The last rate increase was on Jan. 1, 2002. So, we’re essentially closing in on 24 months at the current rate. We anticipate and are hopeful we will keep it through the next 12 months without a rate increase. That will bring us to the three-year mark,” Lamie said.

A treatment project, which will use a mixture of chlorine and ammonia to purify drinking water, was scheduled to be on line Wednesday. Lamie told trustees that the district decided to delay the start-up one day. The project is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., Thursday, said John Storer, district engineer. The delay is to allow time to be sure that backup systems were operational. He said some people could experience dirty water for a day or two due to flushing of water lines.

Cook Street resident Fred Carpentier asked the board to consider replacing the water main on his street and for reimbursement of part of a $170 water bill due to occasional dirty water resulting from the aging main. The excessive bill was caused by flushing of the line.

He said he experienced dirty water for five years. “My wife’s an RN and she won’t drink the water. We have to buy bottled water,” Carpentier said.

Lamie said the six-inch, unlined, cast iron main has been in use since the 1920s. There is a possibility it might be cleaned and lined in 2004. “That could be about $100,000 to line it (along Cook Street) from South Main Street to Bolster Street. It’s the least expensive alternative,” Lamie said.