Maryville water, sewer rates expected to rise
By Iva Butler | (ivab@thedailytimes.com)
Maryville water and sewer rates will likely increase $2.50 each as of Jan. 1 to fund the utility’s fixed costs and to make up for reduced usage.
Maryville City Council is to consider this change on first reading on Nov. 6, and if it passes council members will then vote on second and final reading Dec. 4.
Director of Management and Budget Kristine Tallent said at a council work session last week that the minimum bill for 1,500 gallons of water would increase from $6.55 to $9.05.
The bill of a typical residential customer inside the city limits using 5,000 gallons of water a month would increase from $17.89 to $20.
The more water a customer uses, the cheaper it is by volume, said Maryville City Manager Greg McClain.
The sewer customer charge would go from $5.32 to $7.82, which does not include any minimum usage.
The volumetric rates would increase by 5 percent as a result of reduced contribution from the city of Alcoa and fewer gallons sold in the current fiscal year, she said.
McClain said the city’s biggest customer, DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee, has significantly cut water usage and other customers also have learned how to conserve more. Maryville rates will still be lower than others in the area, he added.
New building projects are way down, which means system development charges (SDC) have fallen, but the city still has ongoing rates and fixed costs.
The 2006 fiscal year brought in $364,626, which drastically fell when building starts plummeted and the recession started. In fiscal 2013 only $155,000 was budgeted.
Under the proposal, tap fees also would be simplified. There would be single rates for 2-inch meters or smaller, and costs for meters greater than 2 inches would be based on engineering estimates.
