MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A proposal to raise water rates in Mount Clemens passed Tuesday night. Leaders approved the plan during a city commission meeting.
City leaders say the hike is needed to cover a $37 million project that includes switching the city's water source to the Great Lakes Water Authority.
Watch our previous coverage ahead of the vote in the video player below:
City Manager Gregg Shipman said the residential customers, on average, can expect to pay an extra $13.40 per month. That depends on their water usage.
That monthly cost equates to about $160 a year give or take, depending on water usage.
Several residents 7 News Detroit spoke with earlier Tuesday were not happy with the proposed increase.
“It just seems excessive and unnecessary,” resident Mike Switney said. “I just don’t see why it would have to amount to that much."
The city said anything less isn’t adequate to meet the funding needs and instead of upgrading the city’s water system, the mayor said it’s less costly to switch to GLWA.
“(The project cost) $37 million for a community where we have a $14 million annual budget. So, we had to come up with creative way to fully fund this project," Mount Clemens Mayor Laura Kropp said.
She said the state granted $20 million in loan forgiveness.
“It’s never a good thing, right? Having to raise rates, but we want to have safe water," Kropp explained.
Earlier Tuesday, City Commissioner Spencer Calhoun said it’s unclear what the increase would look like for businesses.
"Residents are concerned about water rate increases with the prices of everything going up, utilities, groceries. So, it’s something that we’re really concerned about. But also people want, they want clean water here, and so we’ve really got to balance those two things,” Calhoun explained.
