Finance director details water rate study projections; average bill could rise in multi-year plan

Priscilla Moxie, the city's director of financial services, explained the rate study staff used to estimate the revenue impact of a proposed phased water-rate increase. She said the study modeled a five-year escalation on the base water rate (about 15% compounded on the base water rate, not on fees or taxes), and gave the example of the average monthly bill for 4,000 gallons rising from $57.39 to about $62.97 in year one under that scenario.

Moxie walked commissioners through subsequent year projections from the study: a year-two average of about $68.62, year three about $74.97, followed by larger figures in the later years as compounded increases accumulated. Commissioners and a resident from District 4 questioned whether the city's citywide average applied uniformly across districts; Moxie responded that the study used a citywide average and that District 4 customers with higher baseline bills would see larger absolute increases.