The Suring Village Board on May 13 unanimously approved a 20 percent sewer rate hike to pay for the purchase of a $53,000 control system and rising operational costs for the Sewer Department.
Village President Jay Tousey said the rate increase is due primarily to more mandates issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Natural Resources. The village receives no funding to compensate for the mandates, he said.
“We have no choice but to raise the rates,” Tousey said.
Village Clerk Carol Heise noted that Suring’s proposed rates are not out of line with other communities. The new rates take effect July 1.
With the increase, the village estimates it will collect an additional $23,251 in revenue for the sewer department.
The new rates will increase the monthly fixed charge from $14.14 to $16.96. Volume rates would increase from $5.34 per thousand gallons to $6.40 per thousand gallons. The total increase would be approximately $7.06 per month for a household using 4,000 gallons.
To comply with DNR requirements, two carbon dioxide pressurized holding tanks will be installed at the treatment plant to balance pH levels; pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.
A meter to monitor the pH levels of the clean water leaving the treatment plant also will be installed.
After a discussion concerning funding for this system, the board unanimously decided to borrow from the village depreciation fund, rather than taking out a loan from the outside.
As sewer funds are collected, the village will pay back the depreciation fund, with interest.
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