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Show Local Sewer Rates to Double Jan; 1 Sewer rates will double for residents and businesses in the Park City-Snyderville area January 1, 1983. At a recent meeting, the Sewer Board adopted a resolution increasing monthly sewer fees from $5.00 to $10.00 for residences and also doubling fees for businesses. Sewer District officials say the increase is the first of three proposed jumps during the next three years. The increases are designed to bring revenues from operations opera-tions into balance with operation and maintenance costs, which have long been subsidized by connection fees from development and federal grants. Money from connection fees must now be set aside for increasing plant capacity, District officials say, rather than paying for operations. Residential sewer rates in the Park City-Snyderville area were $3.35 from 1974 to 1981, and were increased to $5.00 in July of 1981. Projections are that sewer rates will be raised from the 1983 level of $10.00 to $12.50 in 1984, and $15.00 in 1985. The Sewer District's Board of Trustees has been discussing discuss-ing the sewer rates and connection fee structure since August, and has stressed that monthly user fees have not been used to provide plant capacity for growth, but that connection fees from development have kept monthly user rates down. "The District current ly has the most rigid discharge permit in Utah and one of the most complex treatment plants" said District Dis-trict Manager Bruce Decker. "The costs of high quality treatment plus maintaining 85 miles of sewer lines is climbing. Without subsidy from growth-related connec-, connec-, tion fees, monthly rates just have to go up." Residents and businesses will see the increase on their January bills (Sewer fees are currently combined with water and garbage on one bill) in Park City. The Sewer District will soon be sending separate sewer bills to residents in Park City, and the City will bill for water and garbage only. The changeover should occur in the spring. |