After reading many complaints in the Auburn Reporter regarding high water rates, I keep expecting the City of Auburn to respond, but instead, they remain silent.

When I moved from Kent to Auburn in 1998, I also was alarmed and discouraged with my high water bills because my water bills in Kent were much, much lower.

Therefore, I called up the City of Auburn for an explanation, and if I remember correctly, someone in the water department told me 18 years ago that Auburn does not have wells and reservoirs (and/or) does not have as many wells and reservoirs, as Kent has. Therefore, the water has to be pumped in and out from a longer distance, and in turn, this transport system increases the cost of water.

This explanation may not be exactly correct as I remember it so many years ago, but I was satisfied with their answer and learned to live with the higher water bills all these years. I am only guessing that the City of Auburn probably feels it is best not to respond because they do not want to discourage people from moving into Auburn.

Hopefully, the City of Auburn will correct me if I made an error in my explanation above regarding the high water rates.

– Donna Sampson