Mount Clemens approves water and sewer rate increases to fund mandated infrastructure work

The Mount Clemens City Commission voted to raise water and sewer consumption and fixed service charges effective July 1, 2017, saying the increases are necessary to pay for improvements the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is requiring.

City Administration presented a rate study at a May work session and recommended the increases to support pump stations, retention basins, wastewater and water treatment plants, and transmission work. “These proposed rate increases support the pump stations, retention treatment basin, wastewater treatment plant, water filtration plant and the water and sewer transmission,” City Administration said in presenting the resolution.

Commissioner Menor said he could not support what he characterized as repeated increases on residents, noting prior rate and millage actions. Commissioner Hill replied that the city must maintain its own water and sewer plants: “We need to do this to keep up with the infrastructure improvements that we need to make,” Hill said. Commissioner Ford added, “Nobody likes to raise the rate on water but we need to do this to stay current.”

Commissioners debated alternatives including bonding, shifting general funds and selling water services to outside systems. Proponents said the city’s current rates are lower than many neighboring communities and that the adjustment will align residential and commercial charges more equitably; opponents expressed concern about placing repeated increases on residents.

The resolution passed on a roll call vote, 6–1 (Yes: Commissioners Crap, Bunton, Campbell, Dempsey, Ford, Hill; No: Commissioner Menor). The new rates take effect July 1, 2017.

The city also approved a related revision to wholesale water rates, including a 6.8% increase for wholesale customers Clinton Township and Harrison Township, on the same vote cycle.

What’s next: The Commission adopted the resolutions and will implement the new charges starting July 1. Further details on customer class impacts and specific billing changes were discussed at the May 15 work session and are available from City Administration upon request.