Williams sewer rates skyrocket

Williams residents are facing an increase in sewer costs that some say will cause local businesses to shut their doors.

The Williams City Council voted 4-1 in favor of a new rate structure for water and sewer that will double in five years for single-family residents and more than triple for most commercial businesses.

About 50 outraged residents and business owners packed the fire hall Wednesday evening to protest the increase.

“The long-term goal of Williams is not to shut it down,” said Vernette Marsh. “There are businesses in town that are tottering on existence  right now, and I know several that will go out of business because if this.”

According to a cost of service, prepared by Foresight Consulting, rates for single family home will increase each year from 36.39 per month to $74.27 by 2012 for sewer and from $11.75 per month to $16.67 per month for water.

Sewer rates for most commercial business will increase from $209.12 per month to $940.83 by 2012 and $141.09 per month to $188.72 by 2010 for water.

Consumption rates for water will increase from 99 cents to $1.46 per hundred cubic feet over the minimum consumption of 5 hcf.

According to Williams City Manager Jim Manning, the largest increase in the rates is due to the requirement to construct a new $20  million wastewater treatment plant. The city is also required to add three new manganese filters to is The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Board issued the requirements eight years ago based on federal mandates for clean water.

The board issued a compliance order that required Williams to have the funding for the treatment plant by last February, and the city is racking up hefty fines for violating the order.

“I’ve had many sleepless night over this” said Williams Mayor Patricia Ash. “Nobody wants to pay these kinds of rates, but we need to do something. They (the state) have called us on the carpet and they will squash us like a bug.”

According to Williams residents, this is the second time the city proposed a rate increase due to the need to build a sewer treatment plant.

In 2002, the city council held several public hearings in which it presented a sewer rate study for rates needed to build a then estimated $6 to $9 million plant to meet wastewater mandates.

“What happened to that money?” asked Anil Patel.

Following the meeting, Williams residents said they would ask the Colusa County Grand Jury to investigate why the process was not completed.

According to Manning, the rate increase in 2002 paid for general operation and maintenance of the plant.

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.