Council sets April 1 effective date for water-rate increase tied to loan forgiveness, hears water infrastructure update

The Helena-West Helena City Council reviewed a water-rate proposal from the water department and set an effective implementation date after discussion of loan requirements, repair progress and billing impacts.

Mr. Rose (speaker 6) presented sample bills and said the proposed increase would raise the wholesale rate to $7.58 (a $2.52 increase). He illustrated examples showing an average 3,000‑gallon household would see an $8–$9 monthly increase. "That'll bring us to where we need to be at $7.58 before 1000 gallons," he said, and noted the adjustment keeps the city on the schedule needed to satisfy principal-forgiveness conditions tied to state loan programs.

Council members pressed on timing and consumer impacts. Mr. Rose said the department is hiring two maintenance/service workers and is advancing line-replacement planning, but the project must clear the state health department review before bidding and construction. He said the department is "making progress" on leaks but has more ground to cover.

After discussion, councilors agreed to set an effective date of April 1, 2026 for the rate change so it would appear on the May bill, and directed staff to amend the ordinance language accordingly. The council noted it will not retroactively collect the rate and asked staff to publish bill examples showing the new charges and to add explanatory language to the billing statements.

Next steps: staff to draft the amended ordinance reflecting the April 1 effective date, return with a bill-frame example for public transparency and report back on timeline and ADH approvals for line replacements.