Water rates would rise 70%

Water rates should have been increased since 1991, the mayor says.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CORTLAND -- The city administration is proposing a 70 percent increase in water rates to offset maintenance and energy costs, and for capital improvements.
City council will consider the rate increase at tonight's meeting, but Mayor Curt Moll expects the legislation to go through three readings.
If the measure is approved, it will increase the rate from $1.88 per 1,000 to $12.80 for the first 4,000 gallons, or $3.13 per 1,000 gallons -- and $3.20 for each 1,000 gallons after that. The effective date would be April 1.
"It's a pretty hefty increase in water," Moll said Monday.
During tonight's meeting, lawmakers will also consider hiring MS Consultants Inc. of Youngstown to study the city's current and future water needs at a cost not to exceed $22,200.
Residents haven't experienced a rate increase since 1991, the mayor said.
"I don't like it," he said of the proposed increase. "It should have been increased two or three times" since 1991, he added.
Moll said the rate is still competitive and is among the lowest in the area. Cortland gets its water from municipal wells.
Asked about sanitary sewer rates, Moll said. "I don't anticipate an increase in sewer right now."
Moll and Service Director Don Wittman have expressed concern about water pressure.
One way to solve the problem is with construction of a new elevated storage tank at a cost of between $1 million and $1.5 million.
In his annual report to council Jan. 18, Moll called attention to the lack of water storage to support peak usage times that significantly reduce pressure in the system.
Cortland has three water towers. The mayor said in his report that two are too small to provide additional storage capacity, and the 100,000-gallon tank at Willow Park was constructed more than 50 years ago and should be replaced.
"The storage system must be addressed as a high priority to provide consistent, adequate pressure and volume," Moll said in his report.
Moll said the city hasn't been making capital improvements to the water system and there is a need to increase the size of some waterlines.
He also called attention to increased energy and maintenance costs as other justification for the rate increase.
Other matters
In his annual report, Moll pointed out that the water fund balance decreased 59 percent to $47,000 in 2005 and revenue from water billing was $392,600 in 2005, 1.8 percent lower that in 2004.
One of the reasons the fund is down, Moll said, is because two pumps at the city's six wells were replaced in 2005.
The city of Warren has proposed selling water to Cortland for $2.72 per gallon. Warren uses Mosquito Reservoir as a water source and treats the water at its Elm Road facility about two miles from Cortland.
Wittman has expressed concern about using Warren as a source because of equipment purchases to increase the pumping rate and because Cortland would have more waterline breaks because of the higher pressure.
Moll has maintained that he doesn't want to lose control of Cortland's water resource.