Park City water, sewer rates jump 11 percent

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Water and sewer rates in Park City are going up by approximately 11 percent.

The City Council decided Thursday night to increase residential water rates from $4.51 to $5.05 for each 1,000 gallons or less used. The new rates will be reflected on a resident’s next utility bill.

Commercial rates will also rise from $4.51 to $5.05 for each 1,000 gallons or less used.

Sewer rates will rise seven cents per 1,000 gallons or less of metered water consumption, or from 61 cents to 68 cents. Every commercial unit not on a water meter will be billed monthly at the 68-cent rate per square foot of commercial space serviced.

The minimum monthly billing for commercial users will be $76.85, an increase of $8.23.

The increase was anticipated when the subject was raised at a council meeting two weeks ago. At that time, aldermen agreed that an adjustment was necessary because of recent rate increases from its Lake Michigan supplier, the city of Waukegan.

After hearing staff reports that an apartment complex in town owed more than $30,000 in delinquent water bills, aldermen also decided to toughen the city’s non-payment penalties.

The new ordinance will now require that any water or sewer bill unpaid within 30 days will be assessed a delinquency charge of 8 percent of the bill. If not paid within 60 days, an additional 10 percent will be added to the bill, for a total delinquency charge of 18 percent.

If a water or sewer bill is not paid within 90 days, the total delinquency charge will be 20 percent of the balance due.

The ordinance provides: “In any case where the user of the city water supply is not also the owner of the property served, the owner and user shall each be jointly and severally responsible for the entire amount of the bill for the property served.”

An exception is made for those living in manufactured housing communities which are billed by the city through a master meter, where only the owner of the community shall be responsible for the payment of the water/sewer bill.

Like many communities, Park City has been under the financial strain of the ongoing recession. Sales tax revenues are down and the city has compensated with budget cuts and hiring freezes.

On Nov. 1, the city instituted for the first time a one-cent per gallon tax on gasoline at its two service stations in town.

Mayor Steve Pannell stressed this is just a temporary measure until the economy improves. Aldermen are also considering fee increases for its 2011 vehicle sticker program, and installing red-light cameras on busy roadway intersections such as Belvidere (Route 120) and Washington Street.