Water Rate Increase Archives - Big Sioux Media Sports Network

Dell Rapids Water/Sewer Bill Could Increase

January 26, 2021 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The water/sewer bill in Dell Rapids looks to be heading for an increase in the near future. The Dell Rapids City Council, during the last regular meeting on Tuesday, January 19th, approved the first readings of Ordinances 890, 891, and 892 which are related to surcharges and rate adjustments to cover costs for the 6th Street Water Project that is planned to being this spring.

Ordinance 890 is a Waste Water Surcharge. This ordinance will implement a surcharge of $5.85 per customer.

Ordinance 891 is a Waste Water Rate Adjustment. This ordinance will change the base rate charge as well as the per 1,000 gallon rate. Currently the base rate is $16.90, and this ordinance will lower that base rate to $16.00. The current per 1,000 gallon rate is $5.78. The ordinance will lower that rate to $4.82.

For an average 5,000 gallon user, the cost would change from the current $61.60 to $61.75, a 0.2% increase. These values include the base rate, per 1,000 gallon rate, and existing and new surcharges.

Ordinance 892 will be implementing a $2.70 per customer to fund the drinking. water bond for the 6th Street project.

With the three new proposed ordinances and the water and sewer rates are added together, for an average 5,000 gallon user, the current cost of $103.80 will increase to $106.65, which is an increase of 2.7%.

“I think it’s important to let our citizens know that we appreciate their support in the fact that through paying their water and sewer bills, they are making it possible for us to do these improvements,” said Dell Rapids Mayor Tom Earley.

The second reading of the ordinances will be held on the first council meeting in February on Monday, February 1st. If the ordinances pass the second reading, they will take effect on April 20th, and customers will see it on their May 1st bill. The new charges would be assessed for water/sewer usage for March 20th through April 20th.

Water Rates Set to Increase in Dell Rapids

February 11, 2019 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Water bills in Dell Rapids are headed for an increase starting with the June 1st bill. The Dell Rapids City Council approved the first reading of three new ordinances that will increase the water bills for all residents in Dell Rapids. The increases are being put in place to pay back loans for the Southeast Infrastructure project.

The new rates and surcharges that are being implemented will go into effect for water used from April 20th to May 20th and will be first seen on the June 1st water bills.

Ordinance 860 will implement a SE Project Drinking Water Rate Surcharge per customer. The cost of this surcharge will be $7.70. Ordinance 861 will actually reduce some of the water bill. The ordinance will change the base rate from $12.00 to $11.90, and the per 1,000 gallon rate will decrease from $4.64 to $3.92. With the implementation of these two ordinances, a customer that uses 5,000 gallons of water a month will have a total water bill increase of $4.00 from $38.20 to $42.20.

Ordinance 862 is implementing a SE Project Clean Water Surcharge for $7.20 to the waste water portion of the bill. A customer that uses 5,000 gallons will have a waste water bill increase from $54.40 to $61.60.

The ordinances will have to have a second reading approved before they will be adopted.

Wastewater and Water Rates on the Rise Again in Dell Rapids

December 7, 2017 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Starting with water usage in February 2018, the wastewater and water rates for Dell Rapids residents will be increasing. The first reading of ordinances 851 and 852 to raise the wastewater and water rates were approved by the Dell Rapids City Council on Monday, December 4th during the regular meeting.

The proposed increase to the wastewater base rate will be $16.90, up from $16.00. The per 1,000 gallons used rate will increase from $5.06 to $5.78.

“In 2017, the city implemented an $8.60 surcharge in order to pay the loan on the new wastewater treatment facility. And going into this, we knew that we wanted to phase in these wastewater treatment costs. So we did not implement the operation and maintenance rates that were going to be necessary to operate the facility because we won’t have the facility operating until the spring of 2018. So we knew this was coming. This is a 9% increase from where the rate currently is at,” said City Administrator Justin Weiland.

The proposed increases to the wastewater rates are expected to raise about $100,000 annually according to Weiland. He also commented to the council that the city has estimated $100,000 to be the yearly cost of operations and maintenance to the new wastewater treatment facility.

The proposed increase to the water base rate will be $12.00, up from $11.50. The per 1,000 gallons used rate will increase from $4.52 to $4.64.

“In the budget for 2018, there is included a 3% water rate increase. There isn’t like the sewer rate that we know we need to increase it for operation and maintenance. The 3% increase is to keep up with inflation and increased costs associated with operating the water across the board,” Weiland said.

Weiland noted that this increase in water rates is also to reflect to the Department of Environment & Natrual Resources (DENR) that the city is increasing their rates on an annual basis. He said that DENR recommends a yearly increase to keep up with the costs and to keep rates where the DENR sees they need to be as an average across the state. Weilend mentioned that the increased rates could also put the city in better position for grant funding for the Southeast Infrastructure project. The city plans on applying for several million dollars in funding for that project in January.

Water Rates to Increase in Dell Rapids

July 11, 2016 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids City Council approved the second reading and adoption of Ordinance 835, a water rate increase for 10th Street/Hwy 115 Funding during their regular meeting on Tuesday, July 5th. The city was given a loan in the amount of $705,000 for the 10th Street and Hwy 115 projects by DENR.

In order to get approval for the loan, the council had to increase the water rates for residents by $2.25 per 5,000 gallons. The base rate will be increased from $10.00 to $11.50. There will also be an increase per 1,000 gallon rate from $4.37 to $4.52.

The ordinance was approved unanimously.

Water Rates to Increase

November 25, 2014 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Water rates within the city limits of Dell Rapids will increase starting December 20th. The Dell Rapids City Council approved the second reading and adoption of ordinance 812 on Monday, November 17th, during their regular meeting. The rate will increase by 3%. The increase in rates will be spread across the base rate and an increase per 1,000 gallons used.

The base rate will increase from $9.88 to $10.00. The rate per 1,000 gallons used will increase from $4.26 to $4.37. The average water bill will increase by a total of $.67 per month.

Alderman David Sommerfeld made the motion to approve the second reading and adoption with the second coming from Alderman Mike Geraets. The roll-call vote passed 7-0.