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55 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, September 20, 2004 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 How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People 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 September 9, 2004 Sewer rates rise to support project Treated wastewater will irrigate food crops By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Both Rogue Valley Sewer Services customers and Medford sewer customers will see their bills change in October to help pay for a pilot program to irrigate local food crops with treated wastewater. For RVS customers, the fee is changing to a flat rate of $13.90 for sewer collection, which will mean higher bills for some customers and lower bills for others. For Medford customers, the "regional water reclamation fund" part of the bill is rising by roughly 25 percent, from $4.66 to $5.85. The other two parts of the bill add up to about $4 and will not change. Industrial users, which pay a higher fee for more intensive treatment of their byproduct, are facing a 14 percent increase. The rate change was approved in August by a regional rate committee. The five-member committee is made up of Bob Strosser of Medford, Allen Harris of Phoenix, Jim Lewis of Jacksonville, Mike Parker of RVS and Bill Stults of Central Point. Advertisement The Medford City Council approved the increase at its council meeting Sept. 2. According to staff reports, if the council didn’t vote for a rate increase, other ways of paying for the project would have to be found. The RVS increase will affect Talent, Central Point, Jacksonville, parts of Medford and some unincorporated parts of Jackson County, according to Chuck Root, RVS manager. Rates in Phoenix and Eagle Point will go down. Water-treatment Division Administrator Jim Hill said the regionwide increase will add about $75,000 in revenue per month to pay for the pilot irrigation project. If successful, it will be the first in Oregon to use "reclaimed" water (filtered and treated sewage) for food crop irrigation. The project, which could be in place as early as next season, would cover about 500 acres in the Rogue River Valley Irrigation District. The program is in response to stricter regulations by the Department of Environmental Quality expected to be in place next year. Federal rules require that wastewater be cooled before it goes into streams, but cooling wastewater is difficult and expensive. If this pilot program doesn’t work, another solution will have to be found. Rates change City of Medford customers — $4.66 to $5.85 (the "regional wastewater reclamation fund" part of the bill). Rogue Valley Sewer Services customers: Talent — from $12.70 to $13.90. Jacksonville — from $12.65 to $13.90. Central Point — from $12.10 to $13.90. White City, some unincorporated areas and portions of Medford — from $12.70 to $13.90. Eagle Point — from $16.40 to $13.90. Phoenix — from $17.97 to $13.90. 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 © 1997-2004 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