Endicott water, sewer rates jump

Endicott residents will see a change to their water and sewer bills. The town council recently voted to up the rates, and the increases went into effect March 1.

“It hasn't been raised in quite a while,” said Town Clerk Laura Jones. “We raised it to keep up with current times and to cover all expenses.”

The council unanimously passed the hikes last year, and a notification was sent to residents at that time. It took a few months to have the rate increases ready, said Jones.

“We had decided to raise them on January 1st, but we didn't have the ordinance ready on time,” she said.

The ordinance includes yearly hikes until 2021.

Sewer rates will jump to $40 monthly, except for the grocery store and retail butcher and meat processing plants, which will be charged $80. Also, $360 will be charged to public schools.

Regular customers will start being billed $41.20 on Jan. 1, 2018, $42.45 on Jan. 1, 2019, $43.70 on Jan. 1, 2020, and $45 on Jan. 1, 2021.

Grocery stores, retail butcher and meat processing plants will jump to $82.40 on Jan. 1, 2018, $84.90 on Jan. 1, 2019, $87.40 on Jan. 1, 2020, and $90 on Jan. 1, 2021. Public schools will be charged $370.80 starting Jan. 1, 2018, $382.05 in 2019, $393.30 in 2020 and $405.50 in 2021.

The water rate increase has the rate starting at $41 per month for 5,000 gallons of water or less, with $1 per 1,000 gallons or any part thereof in excess of 5,000 gallons of water. A $50 charge will be assessed for any new water service connection, and $1 will be charged to turn water service on or off.

Jones said no complaints about the rate hikes have been received since residents were informed.