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Resident urges council to review rising water charges and files petition
Summary
A Freeport resident said high and rising water charges create hardship for seniors and residents on fixed incomes and filed a petition asking the council to examine extra charges on water bills.
Zandra Bright, a Freeport business owner who said she represents senior residents, delivered public comment asking the council to examine what she characterized as excessive charges added to city water bills and said she had started a petition two weeks earlier.
"The petition is to mandate our city to reconsider the excessive charges on our water bills," Bright said. Speaking about residents on fixed incomes, she said, "unreasonable high water charges are an alarming burden" and asked officials to "examine the extra cost added to our water bills and to consider ways of reducing them for the betterment of us all."
Bright cited national trends in rising water costs, referencing the American Water Works Association: "According to the American Water Works Association, water bills have increased by at least 30% in 30 major cities and are likely to rise further." She asked the council to consider affordability and asked whether the city could reduce or reexamine charges that she said are disproportionately affecting seniors and those on disability.
No formal council action on water billing occurred at the meeting; Bright’s petition and comments were recorded as items for consideration by council members and staff. The city did not respond to outline next steps on the record during the public-comment period beyond hearing the petition.
