North Vernon residents/businesses to see increased minimum sewer bills

Some North Vernon Utilities customers can expect larger sewer bills in the near future. During Monday evening’s meeting of the city council, the body heard a request from the North Vernon Utility Service Board to amend a recently passed ordinance dealing with sewer rates. The need for an amendment came about after city officials realized that some customers with larger meters weren’t being charged the correct minimum amount. That mistake was uncovered when utilities staff realized that they incorrectly calculated the minimum payment. These minimum amounts were approved by the city council back in May as a way to ease customers into a rate-increase over three years as opposed to implementing it all at once.

The new minimum wastewater rates are as follows:

5/8″, 3/4″ and 1″ meters – $29.40/mo.
1.5″ meter – $62.60/mo.
2″ meter – $120.79/mo.
3″ meter – $364.89/mo.
4″ meter – $871.42/mo.
6″ meter – $2,493.92/mo.

City officials stress that most residential customers won’t see an increase in their bill. However, some industries and local government facilities could.

City council members voted unanimously to amend the ordinance. Russell Vaught, Wastewater Department Manager, notes these changes still need to be implemeted into the city’s billing system. He says that any increases can be expected in the September billing cycle.

Additional increases of 1.5 percent are scheduled to be implemented in January of 2019 and 2020.