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Port St. Lucie approves first reading of 3.5% water-rate increase; officials cite operational costs and DEP grant for Westport upgrades
Summary
On first reading the Port St. Lucie City Council approved a 3.5% increase to water rates, which city staff say will average $1.26 a month for a 5,000-gallon residential customer. Council also approved a State of Florida DEP grant agreement for nutrient-reduction work at the Westport Wastewater Treatment Facility.
Port St. Lucie — The City Council on Tuesday approved on first reading an ordinance that would raise water rates by 3.5 percent, a change city staff said is driven by rising operational costs and regulatory requirements for wastewater treatment.
City officials said the increase would add about $1.26 to the monthly bill for an average customer using 5,000 gallons of water. Kevin Matijac, the city’s utility systems department director, told the council the proposed adjustment follows a Raftelis consultant analysis of revenues and expenditures and is intended to keep the utility’s enterprise fund balanced while funding operations and maintenance.
Matijac said the utilities department serves about 98,000 water customers and roughly 80,000 wastewater customers. He told the council that the utility has taken steps to limit borrowing for capital improvements and that the department has saved…
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