Athens city officials are moving forward with the projected $5 million-plus first phase of improvements to the city’s water treatment plant, which could create an increase in water rates for the City of Athens.
An ordinance passed by Athens City Council members in September authorized construction on the project. According to the ordinance, the project, which will update the city’s aging water treatment plant, will cost $5,064,460.
“We’re pretty much done with the design phase of the project,” Athens City Council President Chris Knisely said.
According to a previous Post report, a general plan for the project projected yearly Athens water rate increases would pay for the project. That was confirmed by the recently passed ordinance, which said the city “intends to enact water rate increases.”
“User rates will increase an average of 3.6% per year to cover the cost of the project, operations, maintenance, supplies, and other capital improvement projects,” the preliminary plan reads.
The projections were preliminary at the time and had not been finalized yet. At the time, Athens City Auditor Kathy Hecht said the rate increases would be affordable for Athens residents.
"Care has been taken to be sensitive to people’s ability to pay," Hecht said at a previous city council meeting.
The rate increases would be due to Athens’ water fund being funded by payments rather than taxes, Deputy Service Safety Director Ron Lucas said in a previous Post report.
“Some funds are funded through tax dollars, and some are completely proprietary,” Lucas said. “Water is one of those proprietary funds, so it relies on income from bills to keep it going.”
Hecht said the water treatment plant improvements could help bring new businesses to Athens.
"If someone’s looking to come here, they’re looking at the infrastructure, not the tax rate," Hecht said.
The city’s population is projected to grow by more than 4,000 people by 2036, according to five years of observation data cited in the project’s general plan. There will be a 2.8 percent increase in commercial water usage yearly, according to the previous Post report.
The current, dated treatment plant could produce the amount of clean water needed for the population, according to the previous Post report.
“Throughout both plants, there are equipment disconnects that are in very poor condition, do not meet the National Electrical Code for working clearance in front of them, or both,” the plan reads.
Construction on the plant began in the 1950s, and the facility hasn’t been improved upgraded since then. According to the Athens Engineering and Public Works website, the improvements will include electrical upgrades, general improvements and upgrades to controls.
Councilman Kent Butler, D-1st Ward, said in a previous city council meeting that the electrical improvements would create a more efficient, cost-effective system in the plant.
“Because of the old electrical system in there, it takes more energy,” Butler said. “The new system would help soften that.”
