Trending
The city of Dunkirk is planning to increase its water rates on Jan. 1.
Officials are eyeing an increase in the base rate that all city water customers pay, from $20 to $30. A discontinuation of the declining block rate, which lets industrial users pay less after reaching certain usage benchmarks, is also proposed.
In addition, the price per gallon for water used above the base rate would go from $4.33 per 1,000 gallons to $5. Dunkirk is planning to raise the base rate limit, beyond which that rate will be charged, from 2,000 gallons per month used to 3,000.
The information came out at the Dunkirk Common Council Finance Committee's meeting Monday morning, the committee's first meeting in more than a month.
"We will be asking the council to sponsor a resolution to improve and correct the water rate," Department of Public Works Director Randy Woodbury said.
Woodbury said water rates have not gone up since at least 2017 and claimed inflation has driven costs up 31% since then. Woodbury said that he and other city officials used artificial intelligence programs, such as ChatGPT, to come up with supporting financial figures.
"What we are proposing is way more in line with Brocton, Fredonia and others," Woodbury said.
He later said the end of the declining block rate will have "a very minimal effect to the residents." He said the base rate has not changed since well before 2017.
As it is, "we sell water to some of our big users at half the price it costs to make it," Woodbury added.
He had a message for Dunkirk's industries: “Thank you for operating within the city. If you move half a mile down the road (out of the city), you'll be paying a little more. People are happy with the reliability and quality of our water system."
Woodbury was asked if changes are also coming to Dunkirk's sewer rates. He replied that the focus has been on water rates recently, "but we are going to look at it."
He added, "My prediction is, yes" the sewer rates will be changed.
City Comptroller Tracy Smith-Dengler explained why the water rates, if they are changed at all, would not switch over until Jan. 1.
"We are sensitive that this will be an increase, especially for industrial users," she said. "We want to moderate the increase over a period of time."
Chris Pinkoski, city resident and Finance Committee watchdog who was formerly a financial officer with both the city and the state, was unimpressed.
"It's gonna be on the back of the residents again," she said, offering a reminder of recent tax increases including an 84% hike in 2025.
Pinkoski added that the rates which nearby communities are using shouldn't matter that much. "Our residents, our costs" should be the focus, she said.