The Harrisburg Times H om e of the Tig er s
Se pt e m ber 20 18
Sewer Rates Increasing MAYOR JULIE VANLUVANEE
Many are quick to refer to one’s “rights” as an American citizen, but rarely does one take seriously the duties and responsibilities as an American citizen. One such responsibility, staying informed of the issues affecting your community, continues to be reinforced through our public meetings, published agendas and minutes, immediate access to documents on our city’s website and constant reminders that residents are encouraged to reach out to their elected officials and city staff. Please remind yourself of all this when you receive your October water bill. Sewer rates are going up with September usage, thus will be reflected in your October bill. Our last increase is documented in Resolution 2016-12 starting with January usage in 2017 which was 20 months ago; and these rate increases are necessary to address our growth and serve a future forecasted population of approximately 16,500 residents. Rather than refute the many rumors, conjecture and opinions with facts that continue to circulate
about the history and length of this project, I am addressing the changes that are coming and proactively address the most common questions I receive. For detailed information on the new water and sewer rates, please visit www.harrisburgrates.org. Last fall, I appointed a Water/ Sewer task force to look into the current structuring of rates and come up with suggestions for improvement. First, I’d like to thank those who participated and especially those who followed through to completion and presented to council. Some of the results of the task force will be implemented, with the most important change being the way sewer usage will be determined each month. Starting with September, households with a history of two years will have their sewer usage based on their water usage from December, January and February in 2016 and 2017. For those who have moved to town and do not have 2 years of data to use, your winterized rate will be based on a different formula. Of course, as the calendar rolls forward, so will your average amount. (ie. 2017 and 2018 next spring).
The most common question I hear is, “Compared to ‘name the town’ our rates are so much higher.” While currently our residents’ water and/or sewer rates are higher, the reasons and our circumstances are due to things we can’t change, such as our location. Harrisburg is not located close to a river that we can discharge into, so we have to construct and pay for millions of dollars of infrastructure to get our sewage to an outfall facility or to Sioux Falls so we can connect to their system and be routed to their plant on the east side of Sioux Falls. Our forecasted growth is another factor that influences the capacity needed to serve our growing community. While some see it unfair to pay for something that they don’t get a direct benefit from, we have to step back and think about what others have paid for that we have benefited from… for example, since President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the Interstate System has been a part of our culture as construction projects, as transportation in our daily lives, and as an integral part of the American way of life. Another example would be all the federal parks that have been bought and paid for by others long Continued on Page 4, See Water
Harrisburg City Water and Sewer Structure and Rate Changes New water and sewer structure and rate changes will be effective with your October 2018 bill.
The City of Harrisburg has adopted a tiered water rate structure for single family homeowners that includes increasing block rates for additional water use. These changes will primarily effect customers who irrigate their lawns and use water for recreational purposes. Low users will be billed less per month than with the previous structure, and high users will be billed more per month. Gallons of water used per month
New Rate
0
$11.64
1,000
$14.79
2,000
$17.94
3,000
$21.09
4,000
$27.48
5,000
$33.87
6,000
$40.26
7,000
$54.92
8,000
$69.58
9,000
$84.24
10,000
$112.08
The above rates include a surcharge of $1.12 per each 1,000 gallons used for the repayment of a surcharge revenue bond loan for our Lewis & Clark Rural Water System distribution line maturing at the end of 2028 and a $1.52 surcharge per each 1,000 gallons used for the repayment of a Water System Revenue Bond to pay for the elevated water storage tower and water main maturing in 2031. Sewer rates for single family homeowners which were previously determined by resident’s water usage each month, will now be billed based on an average of their water usage during winter months. This change reflects the fact that not all water used goes down the sewer drain. The City has long outgrown the capacity of its sewer lagoons. Since 2009, it has been temporarily pumping excess sewage to the City of Sioux Falls. A longer term, economically responsible solution is needed to meet the needs of Harrisburg’s growing population, and rates need to increase to support wastewater treatment improvements. Changes were also adopted in part to encourage water conservation.
Gallons of water used (Winter average use)
New Rate
0
$31.32
1,000
$44.99
2,000
$58.66
3,000
$72.33
4,000
$86.00
5,000
$99.67
6,000
$113.34
7,000
$127.01
8,000
$140.68
9,000
$154.35
10,000
$168.02
The above rates include a surcharge of $1.78 per 1,000 gallons of water used to repay a surcharge revenue bond for the construction of 10.6 miles of 16 inch force main to pump wastewater to Sioux Falls for treatment maturing 2042, $1.28 per 1,000 gallons of water used to repay a surcharge revenue bond for the Columbia Basin sanitary sewer interceptor maturing in 2034 and a flat $12.00 per customer to repay a surcharge revenue bond for the purchase of land necessary for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant. www.harrisburgrates.org
Presorted Standard ECRWSS US Postage Paid Permit #1 Harrisburg, SD 57032 To Current Resident
Class of 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced Recognize these faces? Check out Pages 5-6 for full bios!