Sewer bills expected to increase Orono rate to jump, but users will see small rise in their bills

ORONO – The sewer rate is expected to increase by 11 percent this year, but residents should see only a minimal increase in their sewer bills.

The current rate of $2.29 per 100 cubic feet of water consumption is proposed to increase to $2.54, according to Paul Wintle, director of the Orono Water Pollution Control Facility. Under the proposed rate, the average user would see a yearly bill of about $229 – $10 more than what an average user now pays, Wintle said recently. A minimum user will pay about $123 a year – roughly the same as was paid last year, Wintle said.

A public hearing on the proposed sewer rate increase will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, in council chambers. Public hearings also will be held on the municipal, school, capital and hazmat budgets during the meeting.

The proposed budget for the pollution control facility’s coming year of just over $1 million represents a 16 percent increase over the current year. Capital improvements and a staffing increase are propelling the budget increase, Wintle said.

As part of a five-year allocation plan, the proposed budget will set aside capital funds toward $6.8 million worth of improvements expected to start within a couple of years, Wintle said. Facility upgrades include increasing capacity, eliminating outdated procedures and identifying areas for further energy conservation, he said.

“We’re trying to save for these projects in phases, instead of an ‘all-at-once’ major increase,” Wintle said.

The proposed treatment facility budget would add a fifth position to the department, which now operates and maintains 22 miles of sanitary sewer.

“It’s gotten to the point where we just can’t keep up with all,” Wintle said.

Even without proposed budgetary increases, the sewer rate was planned to increase by 5 cents in the coming year as part of a five-year process to eliminate the service fee from the sewer fee structure, Wintle said. Revenues previously generated by the service fee now come from the simpler fee structure.

“Basically, you pay for what you use,” Wintle said. “There’s no extra charges.”