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The city of Dunkirk is officially turning on the faucet for water rate changes.
Introduction of a local law to raise the minimum base usage fee to $30, and the price per 1,000 gallons over the minimum to $5, is on the agenda of today's Common Council meeting.
The proposal is very similar to what was discussed at a Common Council Finance Committee meeting last week.
The resolution introducing the law declares that its purpose is "to increase the amount of revenues received by the city for the water services which it provides, in order to more accurately reflect the cost of providing those services."
Dunkirk currently uses a declining block rate which charges less for higher usage rates, a scheme apparently intended to help local industries. The current rate structure was enacted in 1992; the new law would replace that.
"This change is intended to more fairly distribute (costs) by charging the same rate based on the water used to make the water system financially sustainable for future generations," states the resolution to introduce the law.
The resolution also notes the base usage fee has not been changed since 2017. The current rate is $20, charged for up to 2,000 gallons of use. The new minimum, after which the price per gallon charge is imposed, would be 3,000 gallons.
The price per gallon for water used above the base rate benchmark is currently $4.33.
The water rate law cannot be approved Tuesday. A public hearing is required before the council can vote on it. The council will presumably schedule a time and date for that hearing during Tuesday's meeting.