WHEELING -- The city of Wheeling is slated to introduce legislation tonight to raise water, sewer and garbage pickup rates for municipal customers.
According to one of the ordinances up for a first reading during tonight's Wheeling City Council meeting, the sewage rate hike alone represents a 45-percent increase, which would provide funding for sewer system upgrades and improvement projects. The new legislation states that the city plans to issue one or more combined waterworks and sewer system revenue bonds of up to $45 million to finance the cost of designing, acquiring, building and equipping these projects.
Sewer projects through the city's Water Pollution Control Division's wastewater system serve both city residents and customers located outside of the city limits for the collection and treatment of sanitary sewage.
The ongoing capital needs of the wastewater treatment system include projects that will improve existing sewage capacities via cleaning, maintenance or expansion of collection mains and pump stations; reduce "clean" storm water runoff from entering into the sewer system by separating storm runoff into dedicated storm sewers; and replace failing sanitary sewer mains and modernize the sewer treatment plant and operations.
"Sewer projects particularly are required under our long-term control plan," City Manager Robert Herron said Monday, noting that of that $45 million target figure for both water and sewer projects, about $26 million in new sewer projects will be included.
Herron said the sewer separations, replacement of old sewer lines and improvements at the Warwood pump station are on tap for future projects slated to be funded through the issuance of bond anticipation notes in June. A total of about $7.8 million in improvements to the water treatment plant also are included, Herron noted.
Newly proposed sewer rates for residential, commercial and industrial sewer service customers for those with metered service will be $10.44 per 1,000 gallons for the first 10,000 gallons, $8.66 per 1,000 gallons for the next 90,000 gallons used, $6.16 per 1,000 gallons the next 100,000 used, and $4.18 per 1,000 gallons for usage over 200,000 gallons per month.
The flat-rate charge for customers with non-metered water supply will be the equivalent of 4,500 gallons of water usage, or $46.97 per month, according to the proposed rate schedule.
The ordinance states the city deems it necessary to increase the current rates and charges for furnishing sewage collection and sewage disposal services by 45 percent, which will result in an $11.74 per-month increase to the average residential user and a $43.32 monthly increase to the average commercial user.
Herron said the last time the city passed a rate increase for these utilities was in 2016 before $10 million in bond anticipation notes were issued ahead of various projects, which included the current Bedillion Lane sewer project in the Woodsdale area.
The proposed new water rates for metered customers are: $12.99 per 1,000 gallons for the first 1,000 gallons used per month, $5.88 per each additional 1,000 gallons up to 499,000 gallons used per month, and $3.61 per 1,000 gallons for each additional 1,000 gallons over 500,000 gallons used per month.
According to the ordinance proposing new water rates, fees and charges, the increases are being established to pay debt on the outstanding debts on the city's water system projects. Total cost of water projects on tap is around $7 million, according to the city manager. The most recent major water project in Wheeling, the replacement of a downtown water main first installed in 1886, began just last week, at a cost of about $4.25 million.
Another ordinance slated for introduction tonight amends and reenacts a section of city codes regarding rates, increasing garbage, rubbish and designated recyclable material collection rates from $14.50 to $16.74 per month. The ordinance is set to be effective from and after the date of its passage with the intention to increase the fee for the June cycle so the rate increase will appear on customers' July bills.
The last time the city increased garbage pickup rates was in 2012, according to Herron, who indicated that over time, operational costs have increased within the department. The city is also looking to replace trucks in the department every three years, and this factors into the need for a rate increase.
The regular meeting is expected to begin at 5:30 p.m. in city council chambers, located on the first floor of the City-County Building, 1500 Chapline St. Additionally, Rules Committee and Finance Committee meetings are expected to take place beforehand at 5 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., respectively.