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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 2, 2005 Medford water board proposes rate increase By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune The city aims to boost water rates in March to start saving money for future pipe replacement. The Medford Water Commission board Wednesday will consider a fee increase, which for average users would translate to about 40 cents more per month in winter and $1.20 in summer. The rate change would begin March 1. Proposed is an increase of 4 cents per thousand gallons for Medford customers, up from 42 cents to 46 cents, and 3 cents per thousand gallons for those MWC customers who are outside of Medford (mostly White City). An increase in the base charge, from $5.65 to $5.80, is also proposed. Laura Hodnett, commission public information coordinator, said average residential users in the winter (6,000 gallons per month) will see an increase from about $8.17 to $8.56. Average residential users in the summer (about 27,000 gallons per month) will see bills increase from about $19.15 to $20.38. Advertisement Hodnett said large commercial users like Sabroso Inc., Biomass One and Bear Creek Corp. — which can use as much as 20 million gallons in a peak month — also will see increases. Although commercial customers are under a different rate structure, the increase could translate into an additional $700 or $800 per month. The water commission pipes are in good condition now, said Larry Rains, commission chairman, but there has not been a fund in place for the day when they’ll need replacement. "The commission has started an infrastructure fund," he said, because the piping is aging. "They want to be prepared." Other cities purchase water from the commission and set their own rates for customers, so this decision is not for customers in other communities. The last increase was in 2003, with a 2 cent increase per thousand gallons for customers inside the city of Medford, and 4 cents for customers, such as those in White City, outside of the city. The commission also adopted a tiered rate system in early 2003 that charged a higher rate for residential customers who use more than 15,000 gallons of water per month, in part to stem waste from lawn irrigation leaks and overwatering in the summer months. IF YOU GO WHAT: Medford Water Commission rate increase public hearing WHEN: 11:45 a.m. Wednesday WHERE: Room 151, Lausmann Annex, 200 S. Ivy, Medford. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers