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Opinion City keeps water, sewer rate hikes modest
City keeps water, sewer rate hikes modest
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In a perfect world, the cost of living would always stay the same and
rates for such basic services as water and sewer would never go up. But since the perfect world has yet to be invented — and likely never will be — some sharp-toothed little thing is always going to come along and nibble at the edges of our disposable income. It’s just the nature of things. Yes, water and sewer rates in the City of La Grande are going up this year. The decision was cemented last week when the 14-member La Grande budget committee wound up its deliberations on the 2008-2009 budget. Yet the news isn’t all bad. The increases are negligible by comparison to, say, Baker City, where the city was seeking an 8 percent increase in the water rate and 15 percent jump in the sewer rate. And it’s not as if La Grande folk aren’t getting something of lasting value for the money. Over time, upgrades will make the water and wastewater treatment systems more efficient. They also will assure that the systems remain in compliance with state and federal rules. The Public Works Department only asked for a 2.5 percent increase in the basic water rate and 5 percent for sewer. That really does amount to a nibble. The average water bill will rise 34 cents, from $13.41 to $13.75; the sewer rates for the average customer will go up $1.46, from $29.62 to $30.72. Water projects that will benefit in the short term include the replacement of water pipe between the Morgan Lake and Second Street reservoirs, and a review of the Beaver Creek Dam fish passage and the city’s surface water rights with the U.S. Forest Service. Perhaps more importantly, the city will be able to put some money away for future water supply needs. When it comes time to drill a new well, there will be no need to borrow money to do it. The sewer rate increase meanwhile will pay for sewer collection upgrades and also help offset wastewater treatment plant operating costs. Current economic times are a little on the hard side, and, for the average consumer, increases in the cost of basic services are a little more painful than they normally would be. Possibly, we’ll see more rate increases in the next couple of years. But at least they’ll be spread out. The city is to be commended for asking for as little as possible to keep the infrastructure up to date. |
