Manchester Proposing Increase in Water and Sewer Rates

Manchester residents will likely be seeing another increase in water and sewer rates this year.

City Manager Tim Vick says they are proposing a seven-percent increase for the second year in a row – and it’s to help cover the city’s costs.

If approved by the City Council, Manchester’s water base rate will increase from $7.26 to $7.77 per month for standard three-quarter inch meters. Water charges will increase by seven-percent – increasing from $3.85 to $4.12 per one thousand gallons of water consumption. 

The water rate for water not returning to the sanitary sewer system (outside water meter use) will increase to the monthly basic service charge of 98-cents, plus $4.52 for each one thousand gallons of water consumed. 

Meanwhile, the sewer base rate will increase by seven-percent from $12.58 to $13.46 per month. Sewer charges will increase by seven-percent from $6.97 to $7.46 per one thousand gallons of water consumption. 

Vick says the City has looked into various ways to cut back on their costs too.

The Manchester City Council approved the first reading of the ordinance amending the rates at their meeting on Monday night. If the third and final reading is approved, the new water and sewer rates would go into effect with the bills that are due August 10th.

And with still some catching up to do on the costs, the City of Manchester will be re-evaluating the rates again when they start planning for the upcoming year’s budget in November.

photo courtesy of Janelle Tucker/KMCH