From the Leadville Herald-Democrat (Marcia Martinek):
Parkville Water District customers were notified in their most-recent bills that water rates are increasing in April. The base rate will be $36 for 4,000 gallons, and then users who exceed that amount will be charged an additional amount per thousand gallons ranging from $4.50 up to $5.75. Previously customers were charged $33 for the first 3,000 gallons and then $4.60 for each additional 1,000 gallons. Greg Teter, Parkville general manager, said that the new rate structure is more in line with the way other water districts charge.
“We structured this (the rate structure) with bits and pieces from around the state,” Teter said. The rates that Parkville charges are “middle of the road” when compared with other rates throughout the state, he added.
The rate increase is necessary to keep up with expenses, he said. The district would like to put away something in a capital-reserve fund, but it’s hard to project what the expenses will be each year.
Parkville is looking at $500,000 in capital expenses this year as it deals with 130-year-old water lines and 120-year-old dams, Teter said.
The new rate structure was approved at the Dec. 13 meeting of the Parkville Board of Directors.
The notice that was included in recent water bills said that a similar rate structure for commercial service is also taking effect this month, and a table with the commercial rates is available at the business office, 2015 Poplar St., or at http://parkvillewater.org.
More infrastructure coverage here.