Bay City Preparing to Decrease Sewer Rates In Lieu of Water Rate Increases

After recent water rate increases, Bay City is making moves to counteract costs by lowering sewer rates.

Bay city residents have voiced their opinions on recent incoming increases, and City Commissioners have presented a way to help cut those costs with a proposed change to the Sewer rate utilities ordinance .

At the City Commission meeting on June 21st, Commissioners approved adjusting the sewer rate to offset the increase in the water rate going into effect in August resulting from an increased cost of Water from the Bay County Department of Water and Sewer.

Commission Vice President Chris Gerard (who proposed the change) says even though water rates couldn’t be lowered, the city had to do something to help cut resident costs.

The proposed reduction is projected to decrease revenues in the city’s sewer fund by $287,565 when compared to current rates.

That number tries to match the average cost residents would take on with the already approved 18ยข per cubic foot (or $1.26 per month to the average consumer) increase, covering revenue generated which would be paid to Bay County.

Gerard says the sewer rate decrease will be going into effect on August 1st at the exact same time as the water rate increase.

After the updated reading this week, the proposal will still need to go before commissioners one more time for final approval.