A six percent increase in the city of Chattanooga sewer charge will mean an extra $1.30 per month for an average household, the City Council was told Tuesday.
Jerry Stewart, who oversees the city's solid waste program, said the city plans to raise the rate by three percent in October and another three percent next April.
He said the city is facing increasing costs in complying with state and federal mandates and in updating the equipment to handle waste treatment.
Mr. Stewart said Chattanooga "is trying to be pro-active" so the city will not face a $250,000 fine like Knoxville did. He said Knoxville also had to spend $2 million on a special environmental project and will have to spend $300 million over 10 years to upgrade its plant.
By contrast, he said Chattanooga plans to spend $12 million next year.
Councilman Jack Benson said the rate increase "will help us from getting into a situation like Knoxville, where they were pouring all that into the river so it would come on down to Chattanooga and we would have to try to clean it."
He said the sewer charge is not connected at all with a rate increase of more than 20 percent sought by Tennessee-American Water Company. The sewer charge is included on the water bill.
Councilman Leamon Pierce said citizens are going to be hit by sewer, water and electric rate increases. He said, "This economy is not up right now. I just don't see how the public is going to make it."
He said the increase will especially hit those in sub-standard houses because they may have numerous leaks.
Mr. Stewart said there is a cap anyone has to pay of 12,000 gallons per month.
He said water from swimming pools needs to go through the city sewer system, but the cap should help pool owners from excessive charges.
The current rate is $4.35 per 5,000 gallons. It will go to $4.48 in October and $4.61 in May.
The rate is $5.29 in Cleveland, $3.97 in Jackson, $9.31 in Knoxville, $4.40 in Murfreesboro and $5.19 in Nashville.
The city sewer budget is due to go from $41.4 million to $43.7 million.