City water, sewer, stormwater rates to rise

Residents in Birmingham will have to pay more for their water, sewer and stormwater utilities beginning July 1, with rates approved unanimously by the Birmingham City Commission at their meeting Monday, June 8. City finance director Mark Gerber presented the water and sewer rates for the new fiscal year based on the approved water and sewage disposal fund budgets. Gerber said water rates for 2020-2021 will increase $.08 from $4.87 to $4.95 per 1,000 gallons of water used, or 1.6 percent. The increase would raise the annual cost to the average homeowner using 90 units of water by $7.20. Sewer rates will increase $.39 from $7.82 to $8.21 per 1,000 gallons of water used, or five percent. The increase would raise the annual cost to the average homeowner using 90 units of water by $35.10. Storm water rates will increase $18 from $201 to $219 per estimated stormwater usage for Evergreen- Farmington Sewage Disposal District and $6 from $251 to $257, per estimated stormwater usage for Southeast Oakland Sewage Disposal District. In addition, the charges for industrial surcharge and industrial waste control charge are determined by Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). The charges are collected by Birmingham and remitted to GLWA as a pass through. Gerber explained the city does not keep any of the money it collects for these fees. The industrial waste control charge is scheduled to increase approximately 2.1 percent. Currently, there is one Birmingham customer charged an industrial surcharge.