Sewer Rate Increases

The Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District last raised it rates in 2007.  The Trustees had a rate study completed before looking at raising the sewer rates.   The Trustees approved a rate increase after a public hearing that drew no comment on May 25, 2023.

The rate increase was base rates went up from $60.00 annually to $72.00 annually.  The rate per 1,000 gallons went up from $1.35  to $1.75 for metered properties.

Unmetered properties (properties on wells or where a meter reading is not provided by the water system), have always been estimated.  Through the rate study, the Sanitary District found that the estimated gallons used was below average usage for the unmetered properties.  The number of gallons was increased from 40,000 gallons a month to 50,000 gallons per month.  Some properties were on a seasonal rate.  Determining if a unmetered property was seasonal or not is almost impossible to determine, with out a meter reading from a water system.  The seasonal rate for sewer was 20,000 gallons usage per year.  With the new rates there is no longer a seasonal rate, just a unmetered rate.

Sewer operations are paid by two sources, property taxes and usage rates.  Through the evaluation of rates, is was determined properties such as RV Parks, Mobile home facilities, manufactured home facilities, campgrounds and other similar areas had very low tax payments per unit.  This creates an unequal operating expenses for these properties.  The Sanitary District Trustees set a flat rate for these facilities at $250.00 per unit a year.  This rate helps equalize the operational costs.

After the public hearing the information was covered by KUOO news.  See the link below:

May 25, 2023  KUOO New Report on Sewer Rate Increases