Published Thursday, August 29, 2002
Herald Staff Writer
Sewer rates are going up to keep rain water out of the sewage treatment system in Hermitage. The new rates will help fund a $13-million plan the city has devised to correct violations outlined in a July 15 notice from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The rates will rise by about $100 a year over three years - about 44 percent - for the average Hermitage residential sewer user.
A major problem, DEP said, is that ground water finds its way into sewer pipes during wet weather. The resulting higher volume of sewage overwhelms the capacity of the treatment plant.
"We were aware of these issues at the plant," said City Manager Gary Hinkson, referring to improvements and repairs that were needed in the sewer system. "Our long-range plan was to address those (problems) further along in time. We had planned all along to make those improvements. They (the DEP) have determined they want those things now."
DEP wants to see a plan from the city by Saturday that addresses the problems.
"We will also be working on the collection system at Bobby Run sewer line, replacing equipment at the plant to reduce inflow/infiltration," said Hinkson, adding that the Bobby run sewer line project would cost $1.2 million. The Golden Run/Sample Road collection system projects will cost over $4 million and renovations and repairs at the plant will cost over $6 million.
The city had a $4.6 million bond issue in the works this year for needed improvements to the sewage system when they got hit with the DEP violations. Now they will need a $10 million bond issue to do all the improvements now required by DEP, Hinkson said.
"Here we go again, DER, DEP mandates with no funds. They have the gun to your head," said Commissioner James "Pat" White, while voting to approve the sewage rate increase. "That's why I'm voting yes and it's the only reason I'm voting yes."
Hinkson explained that rates have not gone up in the city since 1993, and actually had been reduced in 1994 from $73.25 to $68.20 per quarter, and from $68.20 to $66 per quarter in 1995.
"At the time the board felt it would reduce the impact of the user fees on the citizens," said Hinkson, adding that the year-end balance in the sewer fund in 1995 was $1.1 million, but will be depleted by the end of this year.
The new bond will also address the depleted sewer fund as well, he added.
Annually, sewer rates will go up $72 in 2003, $24 in 2004 and $20 in 2005, according to information provided from a City of Hermitage media release. A resident paying $264 a year now will be paying $380 a year by they end of 2005.
The average cost of sewer use fees across the state is between $30 and $50 per month, according to DEP, and according to the city, Hermitage sewer use fees will be about $32 a month after the 2005 increase.
If the city does not do the required improvements and repairs, they could face large fines and a ban on new connections to the system, according to the media release.