COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Coldwater City Council approved three resolutions at the request of the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities Monday which will raise customer rates for water, wastewater and electricity for 2018. The new rates would go into effect July 13t, 2017.
The proposed water rate adjustment would be 2.9%. Officials say the impact on average customers would be between $.75 and $1.50 a month.
Wastewater rates would go up by 12.5%. The adjustments follow a study of the city’s water and wastewater operations which indicated the current revenues are not adequate to maintain the long term financial stability of the CBPU.
The council will take another look at rates next year. Wastewater rates may not need to be readjusted as much next year depending on the amount generated by the new Clemens pork processing facility.
The electrical rate adjustment, which would increase residential service by 1.8%, was the first in ten years. It was based on a cost of service study conducted two years ago.
Meanwhile, the city council approved a resolution previously passed by the CBPU Board of Directors which allows for the members of the Michigan South Central Power Agency to repurchase substation facilities that were sold to the agency in 1979. Following the retirement of the Endicott Generating Station, Coldwater B.P.U. Director Paul Beckhusen said the agency felt it would be more cost efficient for members to add these facilities to their asset lists.
