Bentonville city leaders vote to approve water rate increase

It’s official, water rates in the city of Bentonville will increase. The 100% rate increase will take effect on April 14. City leaders say it will average out to $25 more a month for the typical person. After weeks of debate and pushback, Bentonville leaders gave the OK for the water rate increase. It’s now left many people bracing for the price hike in just a few short weeks. “It’s a very hard decision, but I think that it is quite an inappropriate decision for the fact that an immediate 100% increase is I think an unheard of form of conducting government business,” Bentonville resident and business owner Jeff Matkins said. The city says there are significant leaks in its water lines that must be fixed. Leaders say they did everything they could to absorb the cost, but were forced to resort to a rate increase. “We’re going to continue with water loss,” councilwoman Beckie Seba said during the council meeting. “We’re paying for water that we will never recoup, we will never get revenue for. If we don’t pass this, we are fixing half a roof and that makes no sense.” At Tuesday night’s council meeting, leaders first voted on a 50% rate increase as more of a compromise. When that failed, council members then voted in favor of the original 100% rate increase, which passed. “I made the point that if you’d started 5 years ago with a 5% increase every year, you obviously wouldn’t be at 50% or 100%,” Matkins said. For now, the 100% rate increase is permanent. Although, leaders say they are obligated to revisit it in 12 months.