Jasper wastewater rates set to increase

Jasper residents will start seeing a higher wastewater rate on their utility bills in the near future.

Wednesday evening, the common council approved the first reading of an ordinance set to increase wastewater rates. The second reading will occur at next month’s council meeting before final approval in May. If approved, the new rate would go into effect June 1.

The rate increase is based on the results of a wastewater rate study conducted by Baker Tilley, the city’s financial advisor. The study revealed the Jasper utility projected shortfalls between revenue and expenses of over $1.5 million annually based on the current rate structure.

With the continued maintenance and upkeep of the wastewater treatment plant and future growth in the city, the financial firm recommended Jasper increase its rate by about 40 percent. Based on 5,000 gallons of wastewater, this would add about $15.73 to Jasper’s residential bills.

With the increase, Jasper’s wastewater rate will still be one of the lowest in the region, according to Hauersperger.

Here is a breakdown of how Jasper’s wastewater rate compares to other communities in the region.

Utilities Manager Bud Hauersperger told the council that two factors driving the increase are the wastewater treatment plant’s age (30 years) and the growth on the city’s north side.

The city has been planning to add a second wastewater treatment plant on the north side to accommodate growth. While the current plant can handle the anticipated growth, the cost of adding the infrastructure to create a force main and pumping station is nearly the same as building a new treatment plant.

With similar costs and the added disruption to the city associated with installing the infrastructure, the new treatment plant is the preferred alternative.

The new plant would also be able to handle wastewater from Haysville and Portersville, which are part of the Dubois County Regional Sewer District.