City eyes sewer rate changes, public hearing set for June
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A potential sewer rate increase in 2025 will be the topic of discussion at an upcoming public hearing scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 9 at City Hall.
City Manager Mike Schumacher made the announcement during Monday's City Council meeting, adding that a separate announcement will also be posted in Friday's Weekender newspaper.
"It's important that we share our costs. We know everything's going up across the board, whether it's the grocery store or the plumbing supply store, everything has gone up," Schumacher said. "So that's part of the discussion .. making sure the city is as transparent as possible"
Schumacher said the results of the latest Cost of Service Sewer Rate Study will be discussed at length -- something he said he's anxious to see himself -- in addition to a review of the next phase of the city's sewer maintenance plan.
"We have a very old sewer system, so both the maintenance needs and any future growth is something we need to look at and make sure we have funds available," he said. "I thought it was only fair to speak to it verbally to the public that, 'Hey, you're going to see this notice that this is what's going on."
Sewer rates were raised by approximately $3.17 a month in 2024 and roughly 4.25% in 2023. Prior to the 2023 increase, the city went six years without a sewer rate adjustment. A previous council voted to use about $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to keep sewer bills stable for several years.
Many customers underwent double-digit percentage rate hikes for nearly 10 years when the city first embarked on more than $152 million in EPA-mandated upgrades to its collection system, wastewater treatment and stormwater systems to prevent sewage overflows. That included increases of 19% in 2009 and 17% in 2014.
Councilmembers approved a grant Monday for $2.1 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -- which will be paired with $7.5 million in CIP funding -- for a critical blower replacement project at the Water Protection Facility, the latest of needed improvements.
"We're in full compliance with that EPA consent decree. And we're really in a pretty good spot," Schumacher said. "Nobody likes rate adjustments or increases. I don't, however, if you don't keep up on the cost of your system, you end up in a corner and that will lead to significant increases in problems."
An increase in sewer rates would add to a growing list of rising utility costs from regional providers. Gas and water rates are expected to increase this year by anywhere from $14 to $20 a month respectively , with electric bills already seeing a 7% increase last December.
