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Massena considering higher water rates outside of village

Posted 2/21/18

By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- The village is looking at new water rates that would charge more to accounts outside the village if they get village water but are not in a water district. Deputy Mayor …

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Massena considering higher water rates outside of village

Posted

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The village is looking at new water rates that would charge more to accounts outside the village if they get village water but are not in a water district.

Deputy Mayor Matt Lebire said the proposal is at the behest of federal regulators, and a trustee says they are doing it to watch out for liabilities.

“There are a small percentage of accounts provided village water but never put in a water district. They’re outside the village in a township but not part of the water district,” Lebire said. “Federal agencies have been very blunt in their concern about we need those people in a district.”

Lebire says the current system “really exposes the ratepayers in the system to higher risk.”

“It’s more for protection of a village asset than just reaching out to find a group of people to raise the rates at,” Trustee Tim Ahlfeld said.

Under the proposal, there would be no change in prices for village water customers.

Those outside the village and in a village water district would pay a minimum of $12.45 per month on residential accounts, commercial accounts will pay a minimum of $56.52 per month, industrial accounts a monthly minimum of $7.55 per 1,000 per month per contract agreement, and institutional accounts $83 per month minimum.

Those outside the village not in a water district would pay a $31.14 monthly minimum for residential accounts, $141.60 per month for commercial, $18.88 per 1,000 gallons per contract agreement for industrial and $207.60 for institutional.

The fee list includes prices for those that go over their monthly minimum.

Lebire said they have tried to work on a joint venture with the town, but it hasn’t gone anywhere.

“We’ve had a lot of discussion at the committee level where we’ve come close to an arrangement … some additional concerns came up on the town’s side,” Lebire said.