Othello reviews county water rates

Water district petitions city

OTHELLO — The Othello City Council addressed a water rate petition from Adams County Water District No. 1 Monday night.

Othello charges district water and sewer users 50 percent more on their water meter bill per month than city users to use city water.

The average charge of more than 150 other water districts in the state is close to 48 percent more than city users, Finance Director Mike Bailey said.

The rates are partially based upon taxes the city does not get from county residents.

"The city does not receive property taxes from these customers," Bailey said.

The city also does not receive liquor excise tax, liquor board profits, motor vehicle fuel tax or criminal justice fees from county residents, he added.

Council and the district discussed the 2004 meter rate. Neither party was able to confirm the current rate for district users but both guessed it was close to $30 per month.

In 2004 Othello residents were required to pay $12.58 per month to use potable water. District users were required to pay $18.87.

The city charges the more than 160 district users the surcharge to pay for maintenance and operations projects.

"That is just one of the reasons, it's not the reason," Mayor Shannon McKay said. "We have to charge enough to pay for emergencies."

He advised of the most recent emergency being the repair of a city well costing $85,000. The money was used from the reserve fund.

"If we charge any less, our water department will be in red ink," he added. "Our water fund is just flat right now. Basically, we're just trying to get by."

Many residents live in the county because they can't afford to live inside the city, District President Dora Beraza said. She requested council lower the surcharge.

"We do have a lot of families out there," she said. "That's a lot of money for these people."

She said the surcharge was unjustified because other districts charging close to 50 percent do not have nearly as many users as in Adams County, if any.

"Here we have a lot of customers," she said. "It is a lot of money you are trying to take from us."

Many district residents are farm workers who are limited to working six to seven months per year, Beraza explained.

"These people, it's a lot of money for them," she said. "I know it's not a lot of money, but to them it is."

Council took no action on the subject because it was during a workshop meeting.

Effective March 16, citizens within the district saw an increase from .59 cents per unit to .61 cents per unit for the first 266 units. For up to 666 units, rates increased from .68 cents per unit to .72 cents per unit. For additional units it increased from .78 cents per unit to .82 cents per unit.

One unit is 100 cubic feet of water.

The meter charge for citizens within the district increased from $1,078.99 to $1132.95 per month. The $53.96 increase is divided among the residents within the district.