Scott City will look at raising water, sewer, trash rates

Scott City Mayor Tim Porch said the city government will soon consider raising the rates for water, sewer and trash pickup.

Discussion of the matter came up in Monday night's city council meeting when city leaders learned about an emergency repair needed on one of the city sewer system's lift stations, repairs that might cost in the neighborhood of $20,000.

While the city has money available in its public works department's emergency reserves to cover the cost, Porch said the repair highlighted the need to look at the city's water and sewer rates, which are lower than rates in surrounding towns and haven't been raised in several years.

"I've really fought, and so has the council, to keep from raising taxes," Porch said. "But services are different; they cost money to provide. When we're looking at the depreciation of our system, we've got to be thinking of our future."

Scott City currently charges a minimum of $6 for 3,000 gallons of water and 20 cents per hundred gallon after that, unless customers use more than 500,000 gallons per month. The sewer rate is 76 percent of the water charge per month.