By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
As Whitewater officials begin turning their attention toward the $20.7 million plan to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant, discussion about raising user rates — and by how much — is also taking place.
The Common Council on May 19 heard a report from Nathan Cassity with Donohue and Associates, the Sheboygan-based engineering firm enlisted to review the city’s current methodology for charging customers.
As a starting point, Cassity reviewed the city’s existing two-pronged approach to charging customers. A fixed charge is assessed, as well as a volume charge, and during last week’s discussion, city officials appear interested in maintaining that existing structure.
The city currently charges each utility user a monthly fixed service charge of $9.56, and volume charges are $6.57 per 1,000 gallons.
On average, Cassity said a utility consumer uses 3,110 gallons per month.
Cassity also discussed a report generated recently by Donohue. The document outlines how the city can raise rates over time while covering the costs of borrowing funds to address the $20.7 million needed to fund the work planned at the site.
A few of Donohue’s recommended changes include volume rates hiking up from $6.57 per 1,000 gallons to $10.45 per 1,000 gallons by 2018. Monthly rates could run anywhere from $9 to $920 by that year, depending upon the type of customer and meter classification.
While Donohue’s report has projected numbers, City Manager Cameron Clapper in a memo emphasized nothing has been set in stone at this point.
“Final rates will not be set until after final bids for the project are received later this year,” Clapper said.
