By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
In September 2020, the Great Bend City Council approved a 22% increase in water rates to help offset the city’s expense to provide the service. A study showed if rates were not addressed, the city’s expenditures would exceed revenues by $2.5 million by the year 2025.
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Beyond the large jump in rates in 2020, the council approved 3% bumps each year for the next five years. City Clerk Shawna Schafer said those increases were included in the master fee schedule the council voted in favor of Monday night.
"We've been having staff review our master fee schedule that we started doing about two years ago," said Schafer. "We gave you all (council) a copy of our previous fees, what we're currently charging and our proposed 2024 fees."
Base water fees per month for a 5/8” pipe was $13.10 prior to October. That rate is now $13.50 and will jump to $13.90 next October. Usage fees per 1,000 gallons per month went from $3.29 to $3.39 for commercial and residential users.
Sewer rates were increased 33% in 2020 and will undergo 3.5% jumps each year.