Green Springs mayor asks Clyde to consider rate freeze as sewer, water costs rise

Mayor Derek Garemon of the Village of Green Springs told the Clyde City Council on April 29 that a recent water and sewer finance review shows Green Springs faces substantial shortfalls and likely large near-term sewer rate increases unless adjustments are made.

Garemon said the village’s consultant recommended a 3.5% annual increase to water rates for five years and a 20% increase to sewer rates in 2025 and 2026 followed by smaller increases thereafter to restore positive operating balances. “I don't want a free handout from you guys, but I do want things to be a little bit fair,” Garemon said, asking Clyde to consider options including a rate freeze for Green Springs customers, a separate bulk-rate class, or—less favored—a full takeover of Green Springs’s system by Clyde.

The request matters because Green Springs sends treated water and sewage to Clyde for processing under a long-standing service arrangement. John Montgomery, Clyde’s environmental services superintendent, detailed Clyde’s operational responsibilities: “We take care of everything over to the master meter inside their building. Everything prior to it getting into their building is our responsibility.” Montgomery and Clyde staff said that responsibility includes the water and sewer mains up to Green Springs’ master meter, the lift station on Green Springs’ site, pumps, telemetry and the pipe to Clyde’s receiving point.

Garemon presented the village’s fiscal snapshot: Green Springs has roughly 550 accounts; its water operating balance is about $330,000 and sewer operating about $130,000, while water capital sits near $31,000 and sewer capital about $108,000. The presentation listed several near-term capital and maintenance needs, including an estimated $250,000 water tower maintenance project around 2028 and ongoing sewer line repairs. Garemon also said recent work—Clay Street and West/East Adams projects and pump replacements—reduced infiltration and inflow (I&I) and cut some volumes Clyde must treat, but that significant I&I and hydrogen sulfide issues remain.

Clyde officials said absorbing Green Springs’ system “lock, stock and barrel” would bring substantial costs. One council member noted Clyde would inherit “a mountain of problems for very little revenue.” City staff estimated major upgrades to Clyde’s own wastewater treatment plant in the multi‑million‑dollar range: figures cited in the discussion ranged from “at least $20,000,000” to a $30,000,000 projection for long‑term upgrades; an earlier estimate for water upgrades of roughly $11,000,000 was also raised. Garemon and Clyde staff emphasized those were planning estimates rather than formal engineering bids.

Garemon described the consultant's modeled customer rates under the proposed adjustments: at the end of 2029 the modeled per‑unit charges to Green Springs customers would be about $17.97 for water and $16.58 for sewer (per 1,000 gallons), compared with current village charges around $15.16 (water) and $10.55 (sewer). He said Clyde’s current internal charge to Green Springs for wholesale service is about $6.85 per 1,000 gallons for water and $6.55 for sewer.

Clyde staff also explained operating impacts created by wastewater chemistry and travel times from Green Springs to Clyde’s plant. Montgomery described sulfide formation during long pipe travel and its effects on downstream lift stations, and Clyde staff said lining and manhole repairs to address deterioration have been costly—one lift‑station rebuild was given a preliminary “first‑guess” cost on the order of a quarter million dollars.

On next steps, Brandon Evans with RCAP (a rural utilities assistance program) offered to pursue a rate study at no cost if a short federal program window can be met: “it does look like it would be at no cost… this program we're looking at ending in September,” Evans told the joint session. Council members and Green Springs officials discussed immediate data needs; Clyde staff agreed to pull historical repair and cost data to quantify the extra load tied to Green Springs service so Clyde and Green Springs could model a fair charge.

Mayor Garemon said he wants options that avoid pricing Green Springs residents out of service and outlined tradeoffs he is considering—raising rates sharply, pursuing a levy or raising local income tax to generate funds, or securing grants—and said he would continue exploring state and federal funding and managerial changes. “I can always... maybe put a five‑year levy on,” he said. He also warned he may need to raise rates substantially if other options fail: “I'm gonna be a one‑term mayor. I'm gonna raise rates 20%… and nobody's gonna like that,” he said.

Clyde council members expressed sympathy but also cautioned against shifting unresolved infrastructure liability onto Clyde customers. The meeting closed with staff agreeing to share the Green Springs presentation and for Clyde to assemble historical operating and repair cost data; RCAP will follow up about the potential no‑cost rate study if the federal program timeline allows.

Votes at a glance: The only formal action recorded in the transcript was a procedural motion to adjourn at the session’s end; no policy votes or rate decisions were made at the April 29 work session.