Utility board to consider raising water rates in Columbus today

Columbus City Utilities will be considering a rate hike when the Utility Service Board meets today.

As outlined in a public hearing last week, Columbus City Utilities is looking to increase its rates, in large part to replace aging water mains some of which are more than 100 years old.

The new rates, if approved, would be phased in and for an average residential customer using 4,000 gallons of water a month, would go from $9.82 a month for water service to $17.97 a month after all the increases are phased in.

The increased revenue will be used to improve the service over 20 years. A recent survey of the city’s 300 miles of water pipes shows that much of the infrastructure is aging. A third of the city water mains are more than 50 years old, and 10 percent are 100 years old or older The proposed rate increase would allow the city to replace just under two miles of water main a year.

Under a tentative time line, if approved today, the rate increase would go before City Council at their July 21st meeting for their first consideration. After that it would go before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for approval. The first increases would go into effect in August of next year.

The Utility Service Board is meeting at 11:30 a.m. today in the Cal Brand Meeting room at Columbus City Hall.