Cleanliness is getting a little more expensive in Tempe.
The cost of morning showers and clean dishes will be going up almost 9 percent starting Nov. 1 after the Tempe City Council approved an increase last month in both water and wastewater usage rates for Tempe residents.
The utility bill for median single-family residences will increase 8.7 percent, or $3.72, because of the increased rates, according to a city staff report.
According to the resolution, single-family residences will be charged $1.70 for every thousand gallons up to 8,000 gallons — a 24-cent increase from 2010. Residents are charged different rates after 8,000 gallons ($2.13), 15,000 gallons ($2.66) and 25,000 gallons ($3.33). Each tier increased by about 14 percent.
Tempe spokeswoman Amanda Nelson said the average consumer uses 10,000 gallons of water per month.
The city annually analyzes costs of operation, capital programs and maintenance to adjust water rates to meet costs, Nelson said.
Covering those costs will require the city to increase annual water sales revenue by 10.5 percent, according to the staff report.
“It’s pretty typical from city to city; they adjust their rates so that they’re accurately reflecting the costs of doing business,” Nelson said.
Don Hawkes, deputy public works director of water utilities, said at the city’s Sept. 22 meeting that user fees and rates are the sole funding for water operations.
“The biggest driver of these rate increases that we’re seeing is actually regulation,” Hawkes said.
Councilmember Onnie Shekerjian said the new rates are the result of costs associated with meeting federal water requirements, such as the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
“These are what we call unfunded mandates, there is no federal money available, we just have to suck it up and make it work,” Hawkes said.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency website, the Clean Water Act regulates water pollutants and the Safe Drinking Water Act regulates health-based standards for drinking water.
Nelson said the rates affect everyone who uses city water lines including apartment complexes, businesses and landscaping. Apartment complexes in Tempe, which are classified as multifamily residences, will see the water rate increase by 18 cents per month to $1.84 for every 1,000 gallons used.
Residents might not feel the increase too harshly though.
Nelson said the city has altered rates for the past three years to cover operation costs.
Tempe resident Will Terfansky said he’s not worried about the rate increase.
“I don’t really pay attention to it,” he said.
Terfansky lives in a house with two roommates.
“In a rental situation, between three or four people it’s not that big of a deal, especially for water,” he said.
A second resolution to raise wastewater rates was also adopted at the Sept. 22 meeting.
Wastewater charges will increase by approximately 7 percent for the median residential customer discharging 5,000 gallons.
Nelson said the city has a commitment to send a certain amount of water to the 91st Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant in Tolleson.
Users are charged for “the cost of collecting that wastewater, the ongoing costs of keeping the sewer system working and sending that water to the treatment plant,” Nelson said.
She said the amount of wastewater discharged has decreased in the past few years because of conservation efforts.
City water and wastewater system projects are budgeted at $30.2 million for fiscal year 2012 and make up 61 percent of Tempe’s capital improvements budget.
Nelson also said that despite the rate adjustments, Tempe has one of the lowest water rates compared to other Valley cities.
Scottsdale’s water usage fee is $1.80 per thousand gallons up to 7,500 gallons, according to the city’s website. Phoenix’s website states it charges between $2.44 and $3.77 per 748 gallons depending on the season.
Hawkes said meeting the costs is crucial.
“The alternative is $27,500 a day fines for not meeting the minimum contaminant levels,” Hawkes said.
Reach the reporter at sksmith9@asu.edu
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
