Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Salt Lake City started sending out special notices to water users, and that includes just about everyone in the city.
The bottom line: it's going to cost more to get water -- and to get rid of it.
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has said he's trying to avoid tax increases -- but city utilities are on a separate budget, and they need almost $4 million more next year for sewer and water projects.
Currently, the city is refurbishing an old sewer main dating from the 1960s. It's part of a vast network, hundreds of miles of sewer lines stitching the city together.
"What we're finding is that, because of hydrogen-sulfide corrosion, essentially, the tops of these pipes are just rotting away," said Jeff Niermeyer, director of Salt Lake City Public Utilities.
Niermeyer is proposing a $10 million bond for sewers. At the city's only wastewater treatment plant, they're replacing the decaying roofs on sewage digesters. They're putting in new roofs that will capture gases that can produce energy. The project cost is $8 million.
Long-term we are saving money for the citizens of Salt Lake by maximizing the amount of infrastructure we can replace for the dollar that's spent.
–Public Utilities director Jeff Niermeyer
"We haven't had a rate increase in sewer for five years," Niermeyer said.
Now he's asking for a rate increase to cover sewer and water improvements. He argues it's a good time to do it: Construction costs are down because of the economic slump, and the projects will have to be done someday. So the options are essentially pay a little more now or pay a lot more later.
"Long-term we are saving money for the citizens of Salt Lake by maximizing the amount of infrastructure we can replace for the dollar that's spent," Niermeyer said.
Wastewater: 4.5%
Drinking Water: 5%
Stormwater/Flood Control: 6%Average Homeowner's Bill
$2.22/Month
$26.64/Year
For wastewater improvements he's proposing a 4.5 percent rate increase; for drinking water facilities, 5 percent; for stormwater and flood control, 6 percent.
The average homeowner's water and sewer bill will jump $2.22 a month, nearly $27 more a year.
Niermeyer said, "There are other communities, we see it in the news all the time, where water mains have collapsed, sewer mains have collapsed, you got trucks and people and buildings flooded. We're trying to avoid that."
The entire package will have to be approved by the Salt Lake City Council. A public hearing is planned for May 18.
If adopted, rate increases will go into effect July 1.
E-mail: hollenhorst@ksl.com
