Sewer rates in Two Rivers are officially going up.
The city council voted 8-1 to approve a new ordinance aimed at sharing and spreading the cost more fairly, as the city faces a potential shortfall of up to $118,000 due to the increased debt incurred while making improvements to sanitary sewer laterals.
City Manager Kyle Kordell says residents’ monthly bills will increase by about $3 to $5 a month, but this will allow the city to continue receiving Safe Drinking Water Loan Funding.
A new provision in the ordinance will include a fixed charge per billing period, which will be charged to each user based on meter size.
This means that larger businesses will pay more for sewer rates the more they use them.
Council Vice President Adam Wachowski was the only no vote, and he stated that he doesn’t want to see businesses charged under the new meter rate system.
Kordell calls the change the best way without overburdening residents.
The city would have to start paying money out of its own fund or start using general obligation bonds to pay for lead sewer lateral replacement.
