Marysville residents and business owners will notice changes in utility bills they receive from the city, following a January 25 City Council decision to restructure rates for water and sewer service. The new rates, along with a 2 percent cost-of-inflation increase, went into effect January 1, 2010.

The new rate table charges more per gallon for customers who use more resources, a change that is designed to encourage conservation.

An average residential customer uses approximately 12,000 gallons of water in a two-month period, according to city statistics. The rate for that level of use (2nd Tier) has increased from $2.60 to $3.71 per 1,000 gallons for residents living within the city limits, which would average an increase of a little more than $13 every two months.

In years past, if a single- or multi-family residence used more than 20,000 gallons in a month, the city added a surcharge. The new rate structure eliminates the summer water surcharge for residential households.

In-city commercial customers, with an average use of 50,000 to 60,000 gallons every two months, will see an increase from $2.60 to $2.65 per 1,000 gallons of use.

Sewer rates are also slated to increase at a rate of 4 percent in 2010 and an additional 4.6 percent in 2011.

The rate restructuring follows several years of study and takes into account the costs of state- and federally-mandated programs, anticipated capital improvements and maintenance needs. The new rates were developed to be "revenue neutral," meaning the city will not realize any additional revenue from the fees.

Comprehensive information about the new utility rates is available on the city's Web site, www.ci.marysville.wa.us, along with a calculator that will help existing in-city customers compare their 2009 usage to the newest bill, and allow new in-city customers to gauge how changes in consumption can affect their bills in the future.

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