Mail Tribune News - Talent water plan will boost city rates

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Talent water plan will boost city rates By Wendy Siporen TALENT -- Water bills would increase by more than 15 percent in the next 15 months under a rate increase proposed by the city to help finance its share of a water pipeline from the city of Medford. The rate increases are required for the city to qualify for a $6.14 million grant and loan package from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. The city is scheduled to receive three checks totalling more than $8 million in grants and loans during Monday night's council meeting. At the same meeting residents will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed rate increases. The city is proposing to increase water rates in two steps -- a 5 percent increase effective March 1 and a 10 percent increase beginning March 1, 2000. Under the proposal, an average winter bill of $25 a month would increase by $1.25 next year and another $2.63 in March 2000. An average summer bill of $60 would increase to $69.30 in March of 2000. Talent currently gets its water from two water treatment plants, a 25-year-old plant on Bear Creek and a smaller 35-year-old plant on Wagner Creek. Both treatment plants currently run at capacity 24 hours per day during the summer. The city has been under a building moratorium since February of 1997 because of the water shortage. In addition to needing more capacity to accommodate a growing population, city officials say they need a more reliable water supply. The City Council decided to join the so-called TAP (Talent-Ashland-Phoenix) water intertie in April of 1997 after the New Year's Day Flood wiped out the water intakes of the Bear Creek treatment plant. Since then, new Public Works Director Tim Dedrick and his crew have been busy performing much-needed maintenance of the two plants and reservoirs. He has also installed a back-up intake system for the Bear Creek plant which is used to avoid sediment during heavy rains. "The plants aren't in bad shape. The whole system was designed well," said Dedrick. "We should be fine for the next couple of years." In addition to the pipeline from Medford and Phoenix, Talent will be building a new 1.5 million gallon reservoir and a shared pump station with Phoenix. Construction is planned to start next spring. Ashland officials are expected to meet Tuesday to discuss whether that city will participate in the project. Mail Tribune Copyright �  The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA