It appears that what you are describing is the total of your water, sewer and storm system bill. You get a base bill one month and then after the meter is read, a base bill plus consumption the next month, so they are almost never the same amount. There was still an increase.

A good part of that increase comes from the increase in the Metro sewer bill that Metro charges to all of us. Still, there was an increase in the fee for water charged to all of the residents to keep several hundred miles of pipes clean, to keep the well functioning, to replace and repair the wells and water towers and all of the equipment. Regardless of the recession, the cost to repair the pumps, the pipes and to replace parts when they wear out goes on. It is either keep it running or it stops working. A supply of clean safe water is something we must have, and we will keep flowing. As a retired City employee, you are well aware of some of those absolute needs. Your City Council makes tough choices all the time just to do those functions that are absolutely needed right now.

Yes, we do have interlocal agreements to sell water to other areas at a premium to keep rates down, but there’s only a few of those opportunities available right now. Yes, there is a water tower being built in Lakeland to take that area off expensive shallow wells and save the taxpayer’s money paid for with the user fees that all, including that community, have paid in for a generation

– Mayor Pete Lewis