Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Rates topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Interlaken council holds hearing on proposed water-rate hike and $30K30to $40K system study; no vote taken
Summary
The Interlaken Town Council held a public hearing on Nov. 6 on a proposed amendment to the FY2025 budget that would phase in a 42% base water-rate increase (effective 21% in the current fiscal year) to fund reserves and a $30,00030to $40,000 water-system study after two recent line breaks cost roughly $93,000. Council members signaled support for the study; a formal vote is scheduled at the next meeting.
The Interlaken Town Council on Nov. 6 heard public comment and council discussion on a proposed amendment to the town's Fiscal Year 2025 budget that would raise base water rates and pay for an engineering study of the municipal water system.
Bart, the town's presenter on the item, said the town suffered two water-line failures on Saint Moritz on Sept. 8 and Sept. 15, causing roughly 24-hour outages and leading to repairs and replacement that totaled "about $93,000." He showed photos of the breaks and described visible external corrosion on the ductile pipe. Bart said town staff consulted the engineering firm Jones and Demille, which recommended a system-wide hydraulic model, soil chemistry testing and a GIS survey to identify corrosion risk and prioritize replacements; Bart gave a ballpark estimate of $30,000 to $40,000 for that work.
"We had 2 water line breaks on September 8 and the fifteenth on Saint Moritz," Bart said during the presentation. "The total cost of that project was 87,000 for the replacements, about 7,000 for the initial repairs. So the total of this thing was about $93,000." He added that the study would help the town target pressure-reducing valves (PRVs) and other measures to extend pipe life.
To replenish reserves and pay for the study, Bart proposed increasing the monthly base rate for connected lots from about $81 to $98 (a 42% increase overall), with the increase phased to start Jan. 1, 2025 so the current fiscal year would see roughly a 21% effect. Bart said the partial-year increase would bring in about $35,000 in additional revenue this fiscal year and reduce the water-revenue fund's projected net loss (he presented a scenario that without action would leave the water revenue fund showing a roughly $52,000 deficit this year).
Several residents spoke during the public-comment period. Nick Furman said he opposed the hikes, describing personal financial strain and noting historical rate increases that averaged smaller percentages. "I'm against the hikes in water base rates," Furman said, and asked whether the town could rely on transfers or temporary measures instead of a permanent step-up.
Steve Connor and other speakers urged quick action to locate high-pressure zones and install PRVs to avoid repeat high-cost breaks. A resident identified as Gary Singer asked how a one-time $90,000 repair compared with the town's typical capital investment and whether the town could join a larger provider; council members explained that municipal structure and prior legal history made joining Midway infeasible. The council also recounted prior litigation related to the original system installation and said the town previously lost a lawsuit tied to the system, resulting in assessments and legal costs.
A participant who identified themself as an assistant district manager for a water/sewer district said PRVs could be an immediate, cost-effective mitigation and urged the council to ensure grant opportunities were explored before the town picked up all costs. "PRVs are definitely everything," the participant said, but also urged that the consultant include grant research in the study scope.
Council members expressed broad support for funding the proposed study and for a phased rate increase to rebuild reserves rather than risk sudden assessments on households. Several council members said it would be better to "spread out the pain" over time and to have the study and GIS mapping completed to make future, better-targeted investments. No final vote on the ordinance or budget amendment was taken at the hearing; the council moved to adjourn the public hearing and said formal action would occur at the next regular town council meeting.
The town presented several quantitative figures during the hearing: two line breaks (Sept. 8 and Sept. 15), approximately $93,000 in combined repair/replacement costs for those incidents, an estimated $30,00030to $40,000 cost for the proposed hydraulic model and GIS study, and proposed base-rate increases moving connected-lot monthly rates from roughly $81 to $98 (with the phased timing described above). Bart said the partial-year increase is expected to generate about $35,000 in additional revenue this fiscal year.
Next steps: The council will consider the formal budget amendment and ordinance at its next regular meeting; the public may comment again at that meeting.
