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Hammond council adopts water and sewer rate increases; 60-day grace period set
Summary
After a state-directed rate study, the council approved higher water and sewer rates for city customers and set the ordinance to take effect 60 days after signature to allow customer notice.
The Hammond City Council approved an ordinance raising city water and sewer rates on June 24 after staff presented a state-directed rate study showing the city's rates had not been updated since 2017.
City staff member Charles Bauscher told the council the study recommends raising inside-city water from $1.50 to $2.89 per 1,000 gallons and sewer from $3.00 to $5.07 per 1,000 gallons. Staff said outside-city rates would remain roughly double the inside rates as currently structured. Bauscher also noted that adopting the state-recommended minimums would avoid jeopardizing a $5,000,000 state grant tied to wastewater funding.
Public commenters raised affordability concerns for seniors and other fixed-income residents, saying households with limited incomes could face a significant monthly increase. Residents asked the council for an extended notice period and suggested targeted outreach for elderly customers.
Councilman [name not specified in transcript] moved final adoption with a 60-day grace period for the effective date and directed communications to be mailed with bills and posted to the city's website and social media. On roll-call, the ordinance passed 4-1: Councilman Wells voted no; Councilmen Andrews, Leon, Divatirio and Councilwoman Gonzales voted yes.
Staff said usage-based billing was chosen because it preserves lower costs for low-usage (including many fixed-income) households, whereas a flat rate could raise costs for lower-usage customers. The ordinance sets the new rates and instructs staff to provide a notice period to customers before the effective date.
