During a recent City Council meeting, significant decisions were made regarding the city's water and wastewater services, including the final adoption of a new ordinance aimed at adjusting rates for these essential utilities. The ordinance, which was introduced at the November 12, 2024 meeting, seeks to establish updated water and sewer rates for all customers in Fairwater. Council members emphasized the necessity of this adjustment, noting that failure to raise rates regularly has led to a shortfall in revenue, with the city currently recovering only about 65% of its operational costs. The new rates are expected to bring recovery closer to 93% over the next two years, helping to prevent a potential deficit in the water and sewer departments.

The council also approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Sherry Sullivan to execute a change order for professional engineering services related to the water treatment plant. This change order, amounting to $8,840, is part of a larger $23,840 contract with GeoCon Engineering and Materials Testing Inc. for inspections and construction materials testing. The council clarified that this expense was necessary to cover services that had been inadvertently overlooked.

In addition, the council moved forward with two resolutions for professional engineering services for the installation of new water mains. The first involves a 24-inch water line from Water Treatment Plant (WTP) number 2 to County Road 13, while the second pertains to a 16-inch line from WTP number 2 to State Highway 181. Both projects are part of the city’s master plan for water system upgrades and will require further negotiation on fees, which will be brought back to the council for final approval.

Overall, the meeting underscored the council's commitment to maintaining and improving the city's water infrastructure while ensuring financial sustainability for its utility services.