DES MOINES, Iowa – Des Moines residents are set to see an increase in their water bills.
Des Moines Water Works customers have been receiving a flyer with May’s water bill explaining the increase.
Although the fee will be added through your water bill, the fee is from the City of Des Moines and Des Moines Water Works is just the billing agent.
City officials say the increase will be listed as a storm water and sanitary sewer fee, and will be broken down into two fees on your bill.
Storm Water Utility will increase by $0.59 per month for each ERU (Equivalent Residential Unit).
Sanitary Sewer System will also go up by $0.47 per 1,000 gallons of water used.
The average home is one ERU and uses 5,000-7,000 gallons of water a month. The average increase for a household using 6,000 gallons a month will be $3.41.
Des Moines’ Sewer Enterprise Administrator David Miller says the two increases will go to separate projects. On the storm water side it will help flood related issues.
“Those rate increases are to help fund the projects that we had to implement based on the big rain events of 2008 and 2010 and the needed flood improvements on the levy system to help protect properties from future flooding,” says Miller.
The sewer sanitary fee increase will go towards a five-year plan to improve the city’s sewer systems and the regional waste water plant.
Miller says this is an average increase compared to neighboring cities.
“I think we`re trying really hard to keep our costs competitive and we are competitive across the metro area,” says Miller.
The increases go into effect July 1st.
