WHEELING - Wheeling residents soon may be paying sewer rates considerably higher than those in Weirton and Moundsville, but the price still would be a bargain compared to what customers in East Ohio communities and Follansbee are charged.
The general consensus among municipal leaders on both sides of the Ohio River is that most Mountain State communities haven't raised sewer rates enough over the years to cover increasing costs.
"West Virginia has a lot of catching up to do," said St. Clairsville Mayor Robert Vincenzo, a former president of the Ohio Municipal League.
That's a sentiment echoed by Follansbee City Manager John DiStefano, whose city already has embarked on a three-tier plan to raise sewer rates.
Wheeling City Council is considering an ordinance that would increase sewer rates in the Friendly City by 35 percent. City Manager Robert Herron has explained the hike is necessary as Wheeling seeks a no-interest loan for $45 million - made possible through tax dollars from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The money would be used to pay for storm and sanitary sewer separations in the city that are being mandated by state Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The application is being sent to the state Public Service Commission, which believes Wheeling's sewer rates are too low, according to Herron. The agency wants sewer rates to be set at a minimum of 1.5 percent of a city's median income, and currently Wheeling's sewer rates are at 0.7 percent, he said.
The rate increase will bring them to 1.25 percent, Herron continued.
Wheeling sewer customers currently pay $4.21 per 1,000 gallons of water running through their taps. The ordinance would increase the sewer rate to $5.68 per 1,000 gallons of water used, but would not affect water rates.
For the next 90,000 gallons used, the sewer rate would increase from $4.05 per 1,000 gallons of water to $5.47; and for usage of more than 100,000 gallons, from $3.91 to $5.28.
The sewer rate for those using more than 200,000 gallons of water in a month would increase from $2.56 per 1,000 gallons of water to $3.46, while the minimum monthly sewer rate would increase from $6.69 to $9.03.
Herron said the average home in Wheeling utilizes about 6,000 gallons of water per month.
Here is how sewer rates in some other local communities compare, according to information provided by the municipalities:
The commercial and industry rate is $4, plus $3.74 per 1,000 gallons of water used.
Non-residential establishments - including schools, government buildings, businesses, hospitals and churches - are charged each month based upon actual water consumption at $3.10 per 1,000 gallons of water used.
"I can't speak for other municipalities, but our rates are fixed according to our debt service," Vincenzo said. "They're based on operational costs. We must have enough money to operate our system and to have surplus to meet any bond issues. We set our rates to not operate in the red."
He is aware of some communities in Ohio where monthly sewer rates exceed $50 to $60 a month for residents.
DiStefano said Follansbee has not only had to raise sewer rates in recent years, but is also looking to raise water rates by as much as 38 cents per 1,000 gallons used.
"We hadn't raised sewer rates since 1995, and the last time we raised water was 2000," he noted. "They should have been raised, but we've done creative things to keep them down.
"Wheeling's sewer rate is extremely low - much lower than ours. And when it comes time for grant money, you have to raise them if they're not 1.5 percent of the median income. To get more money from the government, you have to charge the people more."
Wheeling City Council will hold the second reading of the sewer rate hike ordinance at its next meeting, set for 7 p.m. May 19 at the City-County Building, 1500 Chapline St.