Augusta considering water rate increase of more than $7 ahead of Aug. 1 target date

AUGUSTA, Kan. (KWCH) — The City of Augusta is considering a water rate increase that, if passed, would take effect Aug. 1 and raise the base water rate for customers by $7.60.

Augusta City Manager Josh Shaw said the city held off on pursuing an increase for the better part of the last six or seven months while exploring other options.

“We actually held off on doing it for the better part of the last six or seven months trying to find other options that we could to mitigate that as much as possible. It’s gotten to the point where we can’t do that any longer,” Shaw said.

What’s driving the increase

Shaw said major repairs on a leaking transmission line have cost the city between $500,000 and $700,000. He also said the city’s current rate escalator has not kept pace with inflation, forcing officials to consider the increase.

“We’ve done other steps such as utilizing other revenue sources. We’ve tried to reclassify projects and pay for them in other ways to try and mitigate that impact but it just hasn’t been enough,” Shaw said.

Business owners react

Stacy Jeffries, owner of M & J’s Coffeehouse in Augusta, said the increase would affect her business directly.

“Water is used so much for my business with coffee because water is a base to the coffee so that will definitely have a dramatic increase on my city bill here. All of us down here already struggle to a point so it’s going to affect all of us. It definitely affects our bottom line,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries said she understands the city’s position but believes the proposed increase may be too steep.

“Yes, we have had a massive amount of inflation here over the past several years. Yes, they haven’t raised rates for quite some time so I totally understand at least some of the rate increase. As steep as this one is it seems like it’s a little much,” Jeffries said.

What’s next

The rate increase has not been passed. Augusta’s city council will vote on the proposal at its upcoming meeting on July 20 at 7 p.m.