Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer presents a graph comparing Warsaw’s current wastewater rates, shown in yellow, and other cities of similar sizes.

WARSAW — Warsaw residents should expect a rise in their wastewater bills in 2018 as a new rate ordinance was introduced at the Warsaw Common Council meeting held last night, Sept. 18.

The two phases of the estimated $41 million wastewater rehabilitation and expansion project will result in an overall rate increase of 39 percent. The rates will change in two phases, with the first change happening Jan. 1, 2018. Currently, users pay $32.60 for an average of 4,800 gallons used monthly. With the new rates, users can expect to pay $39.15 a month. An additional raise will occur at the beginning of 2019, bringing the rate total to $45.29 a month.

Another change will be the introduction of metered billing. Beginning in 2018, users who are customers of Indiana American Water will only be charged a base fee of $12 along with the household’s actual usage. The current flat rate is based on 4,800 gallons a month. This means that if household use is less than 4,800 gallons a month they may not see as much of a rate increase, while if they use more than 4,800 gallons a month they may see a larger rate increase.

Around 10 percent of city households have well water and will remain on the flat rate.

Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer introduced the project and new rates as neccesary for the public health and safety of the city. The city hasn’t had a rate increase since 2008 and Thallemer stated the new rates would bring Warsaw in line with state averages.

Districts in the city will hold individual meetings to discuss the rate increase and address any citizen questions. The meetings are as follows:

• District 1: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 7 – 8 p.m. at Pike Lake Firemen’s Building, 1013 E. Arthur St., Warsaw.
• District 4: Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7 – 8 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 102 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw.
• Districts 2 & 3: Tuesday, Sept. 26, 7 – 8 p.m. at Kosciusko County Fairgrounds Shrine Building, 1400 E. Smith St., Warsaw.
• District 5: Wednesday, Oct. 4, 7 – 8 p.m. at Pete Thorn Center Gymnasium, 800 N. Park Ave., Warsaw.

The new rate ordinance was approved for its first reading. A second reading of the rate ordinance will be held on Oct. 2, along with the first reading of the project’s bond ordinance. These ordinances will both have public hearings  at 7 p.m. Oct. 16, when the council will have the opportunity to adopt the ordinances.

In other news:

• The council approved transferring $70,000 from various budgets within the street department to the department’s street repair and maintenance budget for equipment purchases and repairs. The rules were suspended for a second reading so that the department could get parts ordered immediately.
• Boy Scout Troop 819 was present at the meeting as a requirement for the community merit badge.