will soon see the financial effects of the city’s search for a new water supply. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved this week a 27 percent water rate increase.
The rate increase was done in preparation for the water utility’s borrowing needs as it looks to develop a new water supply to meet a June 2018 deadline. The water increase is the first of a series of four or five water rate increases around 25 percent as the city’s looking at spending millions to address the decline in water quantity and quality.
“This is the first of those increases,” said Waukesha Water Utility General Manager Dan Duchniak.
Waukesha requested a rate increase of $2.2 million – 25 percent – in December 2011. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved a rate increase of 27 percent, which is about $2.3 million.
The Waukesha Water Utility has said for years that the project is likely to double local water bills. The water increase is applicable to the water portion of the bill and does not include the sewer portion of the bill.
The water utility to demonstrate to lenders that the water utility will be able to pay off the money it will borrow during the upcoming years to fund projects to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s mandated radium levels, according to the discussion at a November 2011 utility meet.
The Waukesha Common Council agreed two years ago to apply for Great Lakes water as its primary option to reduce the radium levels. The city needs approvals first from the DNR and the Wisconsin governor. Then the application advances to all the Great Lakes states, which have to also approve the application because Waukesha is located just outside the Great Lakes basin.
n to divert the water from Lake Michigan is currently pending with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Waukesha is looking to pipe water from Lake Michigan; it also plans to return the water to the Great Lakes. Waukesha originally planned to negotiate a water sales agreement with Milwaukee, Oak Creek or Racine, but . Oak Creek and Racine are still negotiating with Waukesha and a water sale proposal could be finalized in August.
In essence, the council approved tax increases which will impact other areas of the budget under revenue limits for both the city and the school district. The rate increase indirectly impacts property taxes (think school district, public authority, overhead for commercial and industrial customers who pass costs on to consumers, (think gardens and gifts). Pursuit of a Lake Michigan water requires studies of other options whether the application is approved or not. The cost of the infrastructure to construct pipelines will be but a fraction of the true rate increase for the cost of Lake Michigan water from another community. The community identified by example to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission as Milwaukee.
Good for you. You and many others demonstrate that water conservation is much more than toilet rebates. This is a big fear of the water utility. Less water sold means less revenue. Water from Milwaukee, Oak Creek, or Racine will certainly mean an abundant supply at a very high cost to the community and certainly dwindling revenue with less water sold. Local sources will encourage conservation. We have many more options than a Great Lakes Diversion.
When you state "least expensive option", are you referring to capital costs or rates for consumers? And"even without Milwaukee", without speculating can you please provide your sources?
I know you have, you just disagree with the conclusions. Okay, you're entitled to your option just not your own facts. What's my secret inside dope for saying that the City Council is looking for the best deal? It's no secret that the Common Council members are our neighbors who care about our City, nobody has a monopoly on that. I believe they are going to gather the facts, consult with their constituents, and then vote their conscience, same as you would. But we can't vote for resources we don't have. The water under our feet is disappearing. How to best structure that cost on behalf of the rate payers is the question they've been grappling with for over a decade. The chickens have come home to roost. The radium issue just moved the timeline forward. It's simple but expensive both in money and political willpower. It comes down too - pay now or pay now and more later. If we ultimately pay more in the long run by not getting Great Lakes water it won't be the first time we've saddled the next generation with problems we didn't want to solve ourselves.
Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, you're dealing with outdated info. Since the Milwaukee deal isn't going to happen the potential $50 million in Army Corp of Engineering funds is dead. The info submitted to the Public Service Commission http://psc.wi.gov/apps40/dockets/content/detail.aspx?dockt_id=6240-WR-107 states that the next cheapest option is Oak Creek with a Underwood Creek return at $261 million. That's $97 million more than Milwaukee plus the loss of the potential $50 million which Milwaukee will want their hands on. Add to the O&M cost the cost of purchasing the water from Oak Creek. There is only 1 local option more expensive than Oak Creek at $350 million, but the water is free for all local options. There's even options the utility hasn't looked at. Like it or not, all these options available to Waukesha will be examined by the Council of Great Lakes Governors and how can they not tell us to come back when when have no other options. It's not our decision. How much more will we raise water rates on chasing a pot of liquid gold? Wasted money could be spent on fixing the problem we have now - a court ordered mandate. Keep in mind , Paul that the water rates didn't go up 27% on apartments, businesses, and industry. They eclipsed 30% and this is the first of 4 proposed increases. The longer the council prolongs the pursuit of Lake Michigan water, the greater the deterrent to live and do business in the City of Waukesha.
Where do you get your information that the federal dollars won't pay for the project unless it is Milwaukee? That's seemingly incorrect information unless you have details otherwise?