Utica Approves 50% Water and Sewer Rate Hike
Utica has adopted steep water and sewer increases to keep prices more inline with an increase from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.
Utica residents will see an average of more than 50 percent increase on their next water and sewer bill.
The Utica City Council approved rate hikes Tuesday evening that are more inline with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Departments increases.
“We have very little choice,” said Utica Mayor Jaqueline Noonan. “We must move forward in our ordinance and be charged what we’re charged.”
Utica Treasurer Phil Paternoster explained that Detroit is no longer charging the municipalities it serves based on consumption rates, but rather a flat fee.
"Although water consumption is going down, but the fixed prices as a wholesale are rising every year as they (Detroit) convert from per unit to a fixed charge," he said.
Beginning in July residents will begin to see an average 8.7 percent increase for water and an 89 percent increase for sewer.
The minimum quarterly bill of $57 will now jump to $86, which is a 50 percent increase.
Matt Guarnieri
8:39 am on Thursday, July 12, 2012
An 89% jump in sewage fees..... Holy Crap!!!
Lisa
9:50 am on Thursday, July 12, 2012
This is beyond crazy...we already have high taxes and now a high water bill. Maybe it's time to look elsewhere....you really pay the price for being in a city rather than a township! Hmmm.....maybe this is how they will pay for the fireworks every year!
Matt Guarnieri
12:21 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Marina..... Can you post the water and sewage rates for Utica and Shelby Township for the last few years so people can see the comparisons?
One Who Cares
1:05 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Why is it the responsibility of the suburbs to pay for the water for Detroit? We always get huge increases. There are 10s of thousands of dollars not collected by Detroit residents and they are allowed to keep their water anyway. This does not sound right.
Kristen
4:47 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
This says Utica, does it also apply to Shelby Township?
Marina Cracchiolo
4:54 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Kristen, this is just for Utica.
shannon Pini
5:01 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Outrageous
Why should we have a 89% hike. There are more bars then shops in this town. It's known as the bar town. Maybe we should all move out of Utica. Then who'd pay that outrageous water hike? I pay higher taxes for an 1100 sq. Ft. House here then I would if I lived some where else. Seriously thinking of getting out. If they raise that by 50% what's next? No one will be able to afford to go to anything Utica has in town because they will have no money, because they will have to pay the water rate hike.
Susan Debski
11:18 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Detroit is hurting for money ..no tax base, their residents do not pay their water or taxes and they have the berbs over a barrel...so they decide to raise water rates that have to be passed to us...we need to pull all of macomb county together and invest in a different water system that will save all of us money in the long run.
Jon Lopp
10:11 am on Monday, October 8, 2012
I live in Shelby Township and this appears to apply to us also and I am hearing about it all over Macomb County. I can buy bottled water cheaper than what come out of my tap. Bill was usually 175 for 3 months of summer. Now was 479. I about fell over in shock. Time to go off the grid. They are gouging the ones that pay their bills.