By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – Residents filled the city council chambers during the Sept. 14 meeting, with many expressing concerns over rising water bills, which were approved at the Aug. 10 meeting.
Residents were emotional about the impact of rising water rates on their ability to pay their bills, and their frustration with the increases.
The city, which experiences up to 40 percent water loss, has century old pipes that are subject to water pressure fluctuations from the Great Lakes Water Authority in Detroit. When water pressure is increased to reach outer ring suburbs, the pressure spikes in the inner ring suburbs, which have older pipes, which can lead to cracks, breaks and pipe disintegration.
Lincoln Park has infrastructure that is 70 to 100 years old, which corresponds to the city’s growth spurt following World War I and the rise of the auto industry locally, and with it the need for housing.
Lincoln Park became a village in 1921, and a city in 1925, which brought about the initial grid of underground pipes.
Another housing boom occurred following World War II, and with it, more infrastructure was installed in the late 1940s and 1950s, which is now 70 to 80 years old.
The city recently raised water and sewage rates to fund ongoing repairs, maintenance and capital improvements needed due to the aging pipes, as well as increased costs from the Great Lakes Water Authority.
In a letter to residents, city officials said infrastructure challenges cannot be postponed, and said the city’s goal is not higher rates, but a reliable and sustainable water and sewage system.
The new water rates are $6.31 per one unit of water, and the new sewer rates are $8.48 per one unit of water. There is also a quarterly meter ready-to-serve charge, which is based on the meter size. It will be $58.26 quarterly for a 1-inch meter, which represents most residential meters.
Increases in the quarterly billing for 12 units is 28.04 percent; for 16 units is 21.98 percent; for 20 units, 18.27 percent, and for 24 units, 15.77 percent.
In dollars, that means a 12-unit user will see a $54.38 increase quarterly, while a 24-unit user would see a $59.71 increase.
The revenue collected through the water and sewer bills, in addition to paying the Great Lakes Water Authority for the incoming water, goes to wastewater treatment, employee wages and equipment, water main and sewer repairs, and leak detection and water-loss reduction work.
The city continues to replace lead service lines. It also does sewer line cleaning, inspection and rehabilitation, pump station improvements, and must comply with regulatory requirements.