Resolution to ordinance official, City of Humboldt water rates to increase

By: Donovan W. Mann – [email protected]

Humboldt, IA – City council approves an increase to city water rates that will go into effect in July in order to help improve the city’s negative water balance.

Water rates in the City of Humboldt are officially set to see a small increase for the coming fiscal year. During the most recent meeting of the Humboldt City Council they held the third and final reading of a resolution to an ordinance that will increase the water rates for the first time in three years. During this meeting City Clerk Gloria Christensen broke down how a monthly bill would be affected based on usage.

Christensen says there will only be a 69 cents increase to the base bill with no water being used at a residency. This is if there are zero gallons being used by a home throughout the month. A bill including water, sewer garbage, storm sewer and landfill is currently $44.48 and will increase to $45.17.

The city clerk shares the cost based on average usage of a single person residency. She says that the average single person home uses just under 1,500 gallons of water a month. Based on the current rates of usage their bill would equal out to $58.96. Under the resolution the bill would increase by $1.32 and be $60.28.

Christensen shares more rates based on common usage amounts in different households. For a two person residency the average is around 3,000 gallons used and the rate increases by $1.95. For a house using 5,000 gallons the increase to the bill would be $2.79. For a large family home that uses 7,500 gallons, Christensen says the increase would be $3.64.

More info: Humboldt to see water rates increase.

As previously reported by KHBT the resolution to this ordinance will only change the water rate and not the sewer or any other rates associated with the monthly bill a residency receives. This change will help improve the city’s negative water balance. The resolution will officially go into effect on July 1.