City Councilman Tim Jeffers says the annual rate hike hasn’t kept up with inflation and operating expenses for the sewer and water facilities.  He says an additional rate hike would help pay for matching grants and make repairs to the sewer plant to meet requirements from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency:

 

“We are currently one of the lowest overall rates for both water and sewer in Central Illinois,” Jeffers says.

 

“And so what we’ve found is we’ve underpriced ourselves which is showing up in operating capital - we’ve been short.”

 

Jeffers says the City has taken money out of gaming revenues to pay for sewer and water projects in the past.  He says a rate hike of five to six percent could generate an additional $600,000 per year.  Jeffers says the council should decide the new water and sewer rates by September.