Copperhill water and sewer customers, both commercial and residential, can expect to see their rates increase on their November bill, said City Clerk Amber Brooks.
Customers can also expect to see water and sewer rates gradually increase each July through 2024 since the City of Copperhill was ordered to make the increases by the Water and Wastewater Financing Board because it met the statutory definition for a financially distressed municipal water and sewer system.
The current three-tiered system used to charge commercial and residential customers will be replaced with a flat rate base charge for the first 1,000 gallons plus an additional charge per 1,000 gallons of water and sewer usage.
Commercial and residential water customers inside the city limits can expect to see an $11 increase from $15 to $26 for the first 1,000 gallons of water used.
Commercial and residential water customers outside the city limits can expect to see a $9.04 increase from $35 to $44.04 for the first 1,000 gallons of water used.
A new charge of $6.75 per 1,000 gallons of water used over the initial 1,000 gallons will replace tiers two and three for commercial and residential customers inside and outside the city limits.
All of the city’s sewer customers are inside the city limits, both commercial and residential.
Residential customers can expect to see a $3 increase from $15 to $18 for the first 1,000 gallons of sewer usage.
A new charge of $4.80 per 1,000 gallons for anything over 2,000 gallons of sewer usage will replace tiers two and three. That is a 95 cent increase from the old charge of $3.85 per 1,000 gallons.
Commercial customers can expect to see a $5 increase from $15 to $20 for the first 1,000 gallons of sewer usage.
A new charge of $5.25 per 1,000 gallons for anything over 1,000 gallons of sewer usage will replace tiers two and three. That is a 70 cent increase from the old charge of $4.55 per 1,000 gallons.
These new rates will be in effect until July 2022 when there will be another increase in the charge per 1,000 gallons used for both residential and commercial water and sewer customers, but no change in the flat rate base charge for the first 1,000 gallons used.
By July 2024, water and sewer rates will increase to:
•$26.20 for the initial 1,000 gallons, and $7.50 per 1,000 gallons of water used for commercial and residential customers inside the city limits;
•$44.20 for the initial 1,000 gallons, and $7.50 per 1,000 gallons of water used for commercial and residential customers outside the city limits;
•$18.20 for the initial 1,000 gallons, and $5.50 per 1,000 gallons of sewer usage for residential customers; and,
•$20.20 for the initial 1,000 gallons, and $6 per 1,000 gallons of sewer usage for commercial customers.