Canfield water rates going up Sept. 1

CANFIELD — City water users will see a rate increase Sept. 1.

The increase, 9.5 percent this year, 10.5 percent starting July 1, 2008, and 10.5 percent July 1, 2009, was passed by the city council at its meeting tonight.

The increase is needed, they said, because Youngstown, which sells water to Canfield, raised rates after its supplier, the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District, also did so.

The city only learned of Youngstown’s rate increase, which became effective July 1, this week, said council members and administrators, and council president Andrew Skrobola said that doesn’t give the city enough notice. “Here it is July 11,” he said.

Skrobola said the city will have to absorb the cost of the rate increase until its own increase becomes effective in September.

He said the rate increase will include water the city already received. Meters read July 5 will include water used in April, May and June, he said.

Skrobola asked city attorney Mark Fortunato about the legality of Youngstown retroactively charging increased rates to its customers after water was delivered and meters were read. Fortunato said he would look into it.