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Reynoldsburg residents may see increase in water, sewer rates
Capital Improvement Projects and regulatory requirements are driving water and sewer rate increases among Central Ohio communities, including Reynoldsburg.
During the Nov. 1 Reynoldsburg finance committee meeting, discussion was held pertaining to the likely water and sewer rate increases for the city.
If approved, Reynoldsburg residents’ water rate will increase from $5.13 to $5.59 per 1,000 gallons and their sewer rate from $5.87 to $6.23 per 1,000 gallons.
The increases directly correlate with increasing rates from the city of Columbus, said Mark Kipp, city water and wastewater attendant.
During a public rate hearing last week, the city of Columbus Department of Public Utilities presented the reasons behind the increases.
According to the presentation, the water capital improvement project budget is $875 million and 50 percent of projects are regulatory driven.
Of the $1.4 billion sewer capital improvement project budget, 63 percent of projects are Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) driven.
Due to these requirements and needed capital improvements, as well as an effort to finance them, the Sewer and Water Advisory Board voted unanimously in September to approve the recommended 2011 rates for Columbus.
Those rates will inevitably carry over to a number of Central Ohio communities who get water and sewer from the city.
Despite the increase, Kipp says Reynoldsburg still offers some of the lowest water and sewer rates among Central Ohio communities.
Kipp said the legislation will go before council for three readings and will be passed as an emergency after the third reading for it to take effect by Jan. 1, 2011.
The first reading was held Monday Nov. 8.
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