YACHATS – Most Yachats households will find their water/sewer bill increasing by $6.86 a month starting July 1.
The Yachats city council – as part of approving its 2022-23 budget – voted 3-1 Wednesday to increase water and sewer rates by 7 percent.
The city’s 10-member budget committee last month recommended a 5 percent increase, but acknowledged that the five-member council would ultimately made a decision to stick with that figure or go higher.
With inflation currently running at more than 8 percent, council members were worried about rising costs in water/sewer operations and continuing to help fund capital improvement projects.
Mayor Leslie Vaaler advocated for the 7 percent increase, saying it would help keep the city up with water/sewer operating costs and not dip into reserves.
“This may help avoid a larger increase in the future,” she said.
Councilor Anthony Muirhead voted no, saying he preferred a 5 percent increase.
For the 903 Yachats residents on a 5/8-inch meter and using two units or less of water a month, their water/sewer bill will increase by $6.86 to $104.84 a month. The combined water/sewer charge for a unit of water if someone uses more than two units will increase by 84 cents a unit to $13.06 per unit.
Calculations by water supervisor Rick McClung estimated the new rate would result in a total increase in revenue to the city of $76,740.
