This ordinance would allow changes to the Sanitary Sewer rate schedule in July of fiscal years 2018 through 2021.

In accordance with the Council goal of developing cost of service studies for utilities and ensuring appropriate customer rates, the Water Pollution Control Department hired HDR Engineers to evaluate our current rates and develop a strategy to meet our future needs.  The sanitary sewer proposed rates were presented to the Public Utilities Advisory Board on February 16, 2017 and to the City Council on March 13, 2017.  

The Water Pollution Control Department strives to ensure we use financial resources wisely.  The proposed rates ensure that the utility has appropriate revenues to operate, maintain and replace parts of the sewer system and treatment facilities requiring repairs, fund the Independence portion of the cost increases at the Little Blue Valley Sewer District, as well as meet our debt service requirements.  The proposed rates meet the financial best practices of funding depreciation (reinvesting in our infrastructure) and maintaining a targeted fund balance of sixty days of operations.  
This proposal was unanimously supported by the Public Utilities Advisory Board.

The average residential sewer customer using 6 hundred cubic feet of water per month will see their monthly bill increase from $39.89 to $43.61 the first year.  Commercial base rates are proportionally adjusted based on meter size and strength of discharge.

In addition to maintaining general operation and maintenance revenue requirements of the Water Pollution Control Department and our share of the Little Blue Valley Sewer District, the main themes and uses for the funds are to:

1. Fund a depreciation reserve to insure adequate reinvestment in the sanitary sewer infrastructure;

2. Fund a biosolids solution; and,

3. Fund a reserve of sixty days in the Sanitary Sewer Fund.