Sewer hike step closer to passage

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2003 | 8:24 a.m.

The Las Vegas City Council could approve increased sewer and connection fees as soon as two weeks from Wednesday. A city Recommending Committee made up of Councilwoman Janet Moncrief and Councilman Lawrence Weekly approved the proposal Monday.

"It's too bad we waited for 10 years before we had any rate increase. If it had been gradual it would not have been felt so bad," Moncrief said.

She noted that the proposal does allow ratepayers to apply for a hardship designation, and if they qualify they can receive help with payments. Also, a $3 fee for paying quarterly bills has been eliminated.

If approved by the council, the sewer and connection fees would increase by 40 percent over the next two years. The connection fee of $1,200 would rise to $1,680 over two years, and sewer customers' annual bill from an average of $138.80 to $204.04 over two years. In addition to the sewer rate increases, the city intends to assess a fee -- called a right-of-way assessment -- of 5 percent, meant to offset the cost of the city's use of the streets for the sewer lines.

City officials say that the increases are needed to offset the cost of construction over the past 10 years and to prepare for improvements to the system planned for the future.