Jefferson residents will once again see an increase in their water and sewer rates.

City Administrator Mike Palmer says the City Council recently approved the first reading to amend the ordinance to increase water and sewer rates each by three percent. A committee determines the percentage increase and Palmer notes that by raising the rates in smaller increments every year, they don’t have to raise it by a huge amount in one year.

“An increase is an increase, we all realize that. But in order to cover our ongoing costs just for chemicals, and electricity and all those other things like labor, all those things that goes up, we found that it’s a lot better just to do maybe a three percent increase every year.”

The increase would add $.30 to water and $.34 to sewer on resident’s bills. He points out that legally, they have to raise utility rates at some point.

“They’re like their own stand alone businesses and by state law, they have to solvent. It’s actually part of our financial duty to make that revenues coming in are covering our costs (for service). It’s audited and we come very close track of it and where these increases go and what we use them for.”

The Council will have to approve two more readings before the increase can take effect. Palmer believes residents could see the increase on their bills for either August or September.