Water rate increase may be coming

Village of Belgium residents could soon see a small water rate increase that would help prevent a much larger one down the road.

Members of the Public Utilities and Public Works committees, at a joint meeting June 25, recommended the Village Board apply for a water rate increase.

The Public Service Commission would need to approve the rate increase and would determine the amount.

The village, Treasurer Vickie Boehnlein said, is starting to fall behind in its water utility operation costs, prompting the suggested rate increase.

From 2002 through 2012, the village implemented seven 3% rate increases, before the PSC in 2014 recommended a 66.5% hike to keep up with the utility.

Since then, the water rate has only been increased once, in 2016 by 3%.

The longer the village goes without an increase, Boehnlein said, the larger the rate increase will be required.

Another 3% increase, Boehnlein said, would cost a household of average water use $13.72 per year. It would generate $6,500 more in revenue.

The water rate is the smallest portion of residents’ utility bills, Boehnlein said, and the village cannot keep using its fund balance — essentially a savings account for emergencies — to keep up with the utility costs.

“It stinks that we have to raise it but it’s a lot better than a 66.5% increase,” Village President Pete Anzia said.

Anzia said he would like to see a 3% rate increase every other year going forward.