Auburn council to consider sewer rate hike

The Auburn City Council will address whether to raise sewer rates to help fund infrastructure renovations at today’s 7 p.m. council meeting.

The proposed rate hike would increase residential and commercial sewer costs 16 percent and take effect April 1.

An increase in sewer access fees is also scheduled to be addressed.

The rate hike is necessary to help repay $25 million in bonds that are paying for numerous renovations of the sewer system and a huge pipe connecting the north and south treatment plants, Auburn Water Resource Management Director Laura Koon said.

Several of the sewer lines were installed in the 1950s and 1980s, she said.

“You have to maintain them,” she said.

The pipe connecting the north and south treatment plants will pump sewage from the north plant to the south plant, which has more capacity. The pipe is scheduled to be completed in August, Koon said.

A further rate increase is scheduled for April 2010.

Because the request is in an ordinance, the council must give unanimous consent to address the issue. If they don’t, the issue could be addressed at the next council meeting.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at 141 N. Ross St.

Other issues on the agenda include:

—Alcoholic beverage licenses for three businesses.
—Conditional use approval for warehouses and offices on Saugahatchee Road.
—A $59,665 contract renewal for the city’s information technology and maintenance.

For the full agenda and documents, visit the city’s Web site.