It’s now Spring 2017. What’s the latest on the sewer project?
The second round of the scheduled tiered rate increase will appear on the April 2017 utility bill that will be received in the mail in late March. Sewer rates are tied into the customer’s water usage in the months of December, January and February. Those months are chosen as they should be some of the lowest water usage months out of the year as lawn watering and other high uses attributable to summer hasn’t hit yet. Rates will increase by $9 for the base rate and 0.85 cents for usage. The base rate for the first 1,000 gallons of water used will be $27 compared to the previous rate of $18. The variable rate per 1,000 gallons will be $7.15 compared to the previous rate of $6.30.
For the average household that uses 4,000 gallons of water, the sewer usage on the monthly utility bill will increase to $48.45 from $36.90.
The good news is the estimated cost of the wastewater treatment plant has been adjusted from a high of $15-$16 million to $12 million. Louisburg is also in a housing boom with almost 50 new home permits issued in 2016 with that growth anticipated to continue into 2017. The more users the city has, the more the costs gets spread over those users. Each year, city staff review rates and cost estimates to ensure the rates are not unfounded. This is the last year for the base rate increase although the variable rate is slated to increase again in 2018 and 2020, the year the plant would become operational.
Louisburg’s rates do move it higher up on the list when compared to neighboring communities’ rates. The average monthly wastewater rates are Paola: $38.20; Osawatomie: $39.85; Spring Hill: 42.80; Basehor: $48.04; Louisburg: $48.45; Gardner: $48.85; and Baldwin City: $49.52.
Louisburg is also in line to receive a low-interest loan from the state to help with the financing. City staff also continues to aggressively search out other low-interest loan or grant opportunities.

Show All Answers

1. It’s now Spring 2017. What’s the latest on the sewer project?
2. What is wrong with the City of Louisburg’s current sewer system and why are changes needed?
3. Why is the City of Louisburg being targeted to make changes?
4. What was the City’s next step?
5. What did the Larkin Lamp Rynearson report say?
6. I thought the City upgraded the lagoons several years ago and those changes were to be sufficient for 20 or more years. What happened?
7. What’s the historical timeline of the current lagoons?
8. The City has decided Option 3 best fits the City’s needs. Why?
9. Now the big question. What does this do to sewer rates?
10. Where can I find the report to learn more?