Lincoln Water Rates To Increase Slightly

Council Revisits Policy

Lincoln water customers will see a small increase on their July water bills.

Lincoln City Council approved a rate increase of 25 cents per 1,000 gallons in light of a rate increase Ok’d by the Benton Washington Regional Public Water Authority in April.

The water authority’s board of directors passed a resolution approving an $ 8.7 million bond issue to build a water line to pump more water to distribution facilities on the southern end of its service area. Revenue from the regional authority’s rate increase will be used to pay off the debt.

The new water line will be 24 inches wide and run parallel to an 18-inch water line. Authority officials say the new line is necessary to meet the increasing demand of customers on its southern end. The project is scheduled to be finished in June 2017.

Water for the city of Lincoln is treated by the water authority. The regional system also provides water to all municipalities in Benton and Washington counties, except the larger cities, Fayetteville, Bentonville, Springdale and Rogers.

Rhonda Hulse, manager of Lincoln Water Department, said the authority’s increase is 19 cents per 1,000 gallons of water. Lincoln approved a 25- cent increase to make up any water loss.

“We only raised it to break even,” Hulse said. “We didn’t raise it any more than we had to.”

Hulse said all water systems deal with some water loss. As meters age, they slow down, she said.

“Customers get away with more water than they are billed for,” Hulse said.

Lincoln’s ordinance, approved at the May 17 Council meeting, was effective immediately but rates will not be increased until the July bill, due in August.

The new Lincoln city rate will be $9.54 per thousand gallons for the first 10,000 gallons of water. For the next 10,001-30,000 gallons of water, the new rate will be $8.79 per thousand gallons. Rates are higher for county customers and customers on the rural west and southeast loop.

In other action, Lincoln City Council amended its ordinance that requires restroom facilities for events on Lincoln Square and at other public facilities. Sponsors will be required to provide restroom facilities for events that last 90

minutes or longer.

The Council decided to revisit its restroom policy in April to make it more user- friendly for groups. One school group was not able to sponsor an event on the square because it could not afford to rent portable restrooms, as required by the ordinance.

The amended ordinance takes effect 60 days after its posting, which will be around the middle of July.