A year has past since my last post about the Grand Rapids Water/Sewer Rates. Since then there has been a few comments, but nothing has changed, rates have been going up.

The “Readiness to Serve Charge” has gone up another 8.2% from $65.29 to $70.65.

Water Rate last year: $1.591 per HCF. This quarter the rate is $1.752 per HCF for an increase of 10.1%.

Sewer Rate last year: $2.898 per HCF of water use. This quarter the rate is $3.238 per HCF of water use for an increase of 11.7%.

I’m just bitching to bitch. Our usage has gone down, but our overall cost has gone up. One year later we are using 7 HCF less of water, down to 11 HCF from 18, but paying about 10% more.

Now I’ve been told that some communities on the GR water/sewer system are getting much higher bills then we are in the city. I guess this might be one good thing of living out of town and just needed to pay for the electricity to pump water.

The city water and sewer rates have gone up.

The “Readiness to Serve Charge” has gone up 13.67% from $57.44 to $65.29. Even before any water is used we have to pay $65.29 just because we are hooked up to the system. By comparison the electric companies “Just to be a customer charge” is $18.00 per quarter. The gas company? $25.50 per quarter.

Not only are we now paying more just to have the opportunity to use water, the rate for the water has gone up.

Water Rate last quarter: $1.57 per HCF. This quarter the rate is $1.591 per HCF for an increase of 1.34%.

Sewer Rate last quarter: $2.58 per HCF of water use. This quarter the rate is $2.898 per HCF of water use for an increase of 12.33%.

I’m just flabbergasted.

Averaged out with the same HCF usage of 18 our bill increased by 10.56%.