Wichita water rates would go up 5 percent for residential customers
You will likely pay more for water next year. Wichita’s water and sewer rates are proposed to go up about 5 percent. Commercial users will pay about 5.4 percent more.
Why the increase? To cover rising costs for water-treatment chemicals and maintenance of the system, said Ben Nelson, strategic services manager for the city’s Public Works Department.
How much will you pay? About $3.17 more for a household using 7,500 gallons a month. That will bring the total water/sewer bill to $62.38 a month.
Businesses using 100,000 gallons of water a month will pay $29.24 more.
How do we compare? Even with the projected rate increases, Wichitans will still have some of the nation’s cheapest water, according to the city. Wichita ranks 10th lowest among the nation’s 50 largest cities for residential water rates and usually about fourth to sixth lowest for commercial rates.
Why commercial rates are going up faster: A water study in 2011 found that residential customers were bearing more than their fair share of the cost of running the system compared with commercial users. Since then, the city has been raising commercial rates faster than residential rates.
Once the 2016 rate increase kicks in, residential customers will shoulder $987,000 more than if rates were based directly on the cost to serve them. Commercial customers will pay about $647,000 less than their cost of service, according to a city-funded study by Raftelis Financial Consultants.
Nelson said it would be impossible to completely close the gap without a complete restructuring to have different rates for home and commercial users.
Concerns for the poor: The city is looking at a “lifeline” rate for low-income users.
What’s next: The City Council will hold another study session and then bring water rates back for a final council vote. No date has been set for the vote.
Reach Dion Lefler at 316-268-6527 or dlefler@wichitaeagle.com.
This story was originally published October 27, 2015 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Wichita water rates would go up 5 percent for residential customers."