The Wichita City Council has approved rate increases for water and sewer customers for next year under a continuing schedule designed to help with new projects as well as repair and maintenance costs.
The water rates will go up 6.5 percent, and sewer rates will be up 3 percent, for a combined increase of 5.13 percent. For residential customers that will mean an increase of $2.48 to $8.22 a month, depending on water usage. Public works director Alan King said most residential customers are in the middle range of water usage, so they will see an increase of about $3.77 a month. Commercial customers will see an increase of $31.84 a month. Industrial customers will have an increase of $2,953 a month.
King said the increases are needed to fund ongoing operations and maintenance, and he said a majority of the increase will be affected by two projects. One is the construction of a new $524 million water treatment plant in northwest Wichita, which is due to be completed in late 2024. The other project is an estimated $357 million Biological Nutrient Removal project that is required by state and federal regulations for two sewer treatment plants. The projects also include $15 million for the replacement of a 77-inch sewer line that runs underneath Interstate 135.
King said the increase also helps with repair and replacement of aging water and sewer lines. He said the city replaces five to seven miles of neighborhood water lines every year, along with 8 to 10 miles of sewer lines.
King said even with the rate increases, Wichita remains competitive with similar-sized communities in the U.S.
