What impact will losing the DeKalb Utility District as a water customer have on the City of Smithville?
Will the city have to eventually raise water rates to its own customers because of it?
The Mayor and Aldermen hope to find out when they meet with representatives of J.R. Wauford Company, the city’s utility engineer in a work shop on Monday, January 23 at 5:00 p.m. A rate study has been conducted to help make a determination.
City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson addressed the issue with the Mayor and Aldermen during the regular monthly meeting Monday night.
“As far as our water and sewer rate study, our engineer and our rate study gentleman Mr. Buddy Petty (who conducted the study) are ready to sit down with you (mayor and aldermen) and to discuss what they have come up with. Where we’re at now and where we think we will be once DUD comes off our lines. It seems they (DUD) have run (water) lines everywhere. I don’t think they are going to be connected to any of the master meters with the city. I’m not sure when their (DUD) water plant is going to start up. I haven’t heard. They (Wauford) would like to meet with you and go over everything and tell you what number they have come up with. We may or may not have to raise rates at some point. Unfortunately we probably will due to this,” said Hendrixson
City water customers currently pay $5.00 per thousand gallons of usage. Rates for customers outside the city limits are $7.50 per thousand gallons. City sewer customers pay $5.00 per thousand gallons plus the flat usage rate of $3.62.
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