Coram water rates could go up significantly

Coram residents will get their chance to voice their opinion on a proposed increase in water rates next week as the Canyon Community Church will host a public hearing on the subject. The meeting will take place at the Education Building at 7 p.m. on Nov. 11.

The Coram County Water and Sewer District has proposed a new base rate that will see the average base rate increase by 65 percent over the first six months of next year.

Customers with 3/4-inch hookups would see their base rate increase from $32.43 per month now to $43.04 in January of next year and to $53.65 on June 15. One-inch connections would increase from $57.71 to $76.88 in January and to $96.04 in June.

According to Bud Ridenour, Chairman of the Board for the water district, the rate increase would go towards preparing for expected repairs and maintenance on the district’s aging water system.

“We are trying to develop the financial strength we need to deal with unforeseen repairs. Our system is about 20 years old, so we are going to be facing some repair and replacement issues. We are trying to be proactive and get ahead of the curve on some of these issues,” he said. “The strain on the system has been growing, believe it or not. There have been a number of new service connections to the system over the past few years.”

The proposed increase would only affect the base rate for the district’s roughly 140 users, not the usage fee, which will remain at $2.32 per 1,000 gallons used.

Ridenour says the district is also in the process of installing a backup generator, which will keep the system flowing in case of power outages.

Ridenour said he could not remember exactly when was the last time the district increased its base rate, but estimated that it was at least 8-10 year ago.

“I realize that most people don’t put much of a value on water when they turn the tap, but there was a time when the water system was inadequate to serve the people who live here,” Ridenour said. “We are building on the efforts of those who decided to combat that problem more than 20 years ago. We owe it to ourselves to not fall behind and to keep the system that has been put in place up and running.”