Village of Curtiss Seeking 7 Percent Water Rate Increase
Wednesday, May 11th, 2016 -- 8:13 AM
(Kevin Murphy, Marshfield News Herald) -The village of Curtiss, which has been drilling water wells to keep up with a growing demand by meat processor Abbyland Pork Plant, Inc., is seeking a 7 percent overall water rate increase.The Department of Natural Resources mandated the village increase its water supply by 150 gallons per minute in 2014, as its several wells were working too many hours a day in order to keep up with Abbyland’s growing thirst for water. In response, the village rehabilitated two wells drilled in the 1970s and is drilling three new wells, which should result in a combined 165 gallon per minute increase. Despite all of its efforts to increase its water supply, Curtiss has not sought a rate increase since 2001 thanks to an agreement in which Abbyland pays 85 percent of the costs.
It’s anticipated the village will borrow approximately another $500,000 to fully finance the new wells, a pump house on the east side of town and an electronic control system to regulate several wells. The state’s Safe Drinking Water Loan Program will finance the supply project and forgive $450,000 of the principal, according to the Public Service Commission. The requested new rates should earn the water utility a 5 percent rate of return on its expanding infrastructure investment and allow it to meet increased interest payments and keep up with inflation. If approved, the pending 7 percent rate increase would add $5.49 to the residential quarterly cost of 12,000 gallons of water to $83.97.
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