Jupiter water bills to rise $14 per year

Council delays vote on stormwater utility fee increase of $4.

JUPITER — Water bills are going up $14 annually for Jupiter Utilities customers starting Oct. 1.

The Town Council approved the increase by a 4-1 vote Tuesday. Councilman Jim Kuretski dissented.

The council delayed a vote that would increase the stormwater utility fee about $4 annually, which would bring the total annual water bill increase to $18.

The council delayed the stormwater increase because of concern that it was not advertised properly. No date has been set for a vote on that fee.

The increase applies to the average residential customer who uses about 10,000 gallons a month.

The rate increase will raise an additional annual $980,000. The money will be used to maintain and reinvest in water equipment, Utilities Director David Brown said.

“The increase allows us to continue to have a safe and reliable water system,” he added.

Jupiter Utilities rates were not increased from 2010 to 2014, but were raised in 2015 and 2016.

Water rate increases have been approved in the past two years to keep pace with cost, Brown said.

Jupiter Utilities serves about 88,000 customers in northern Palm Beach and southern Martin counties. The utility has a $28 million annual operating budget and employs 73 full-time employees.

Annual increases “reduce the potential for future large one-time rate hikes which customers typically find unacceptable,” according to the proposal.