Palouse council eyes rate hike for water and sewer

Palouse city council may increase water and sewer rates in 2011, 10 months after activating a six-percent utility tax on those rates last January.

“In 2010, both water and sewer are operating at a loss,” said Connie Newman, the new Palouse city council member and new head of the Palouse Water and Sewer Committee.

The committee is looking at a raise of no less than $3 a month and no more than $7. Proceeds would boost the city’s water and sewer accounts. The rate raise would start January of 2011.

Palouse residents saw at least a $2.30 addition to their utility bill last January when the city co...