Piping Lake Michigan water into the village will come at a price residents soon will notice on their water bills, now that the trustees have approved a rate increase.
The trustees agreed last week to begin gradually raising water rates, beginning June 1 with a 50-cent increase to $2.40 per 1,000 gallons from $1.90.
Trustee Dave Batson said 50-cent rate increases at six-month intervals are recommended to “come out with what we need at the end.”
Switching to Lake Michigan water, which residents approved in a survey, could raise water rates to as high as $4.50 per 1,000 gallons, but having money on hand could bring the final rate down to $3.75, Batson said.
Raising more revenue before starting the water project amounts to a “buydown,” said Russ Loebe, village administrator. “It’s like saving for a larger down payment on your home,” Loebe said.
Money set aside from water and sewer tap-on fees will add to the buydown, Mayor John Nowakowski said.
Converting from the well water system to lake water is expected to take about two years, village officials said.
