Residents will see slight increase in March utility bill
Fairview residents soon will see a slight increase in their water rates.
Beginning Friday, March 1, water rates for an average single family residential customer will rise 3.30 percent in 2013 and another 2.94 percent in 2014. Wastewater and stormwater rates, however, will remain the same.
Fairview's city council made the decision at the Wednesday, Jan. 16, council meeting.
The council could have voted to increase the water rates by a higher percentage if it decided to inherit a new project.
The city has been told the current Public Works Shop facility needs to be torn down and rebuilt. But council members, to avoid a higher rate increase, opted not to approve construction of the facility.
The city hired Donovan Enterprises Inc., a Portland-based consulting company, to conduct rate studies for the water, wastewater and stormwater utilities.
The company evaluated the individual system revenue requirements and recommended the rate increase.
Currently, an average Fairview home pays $15.91 per month for water utilities. Starting March 1, the average home will pay $16.44 per month, and in 2014, that cost will increase to $16.92. These figures do not include sewer and stormwater fees.