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Council approves water, sewer rate increases

Posted at 1:42 am September 10, 2013
By John Huotari 7 Comments

Oak Ridge City Council

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday approved water and sewer rate increases that will take effect January 2014 and January 2015. (File photo)

There was much opposition online, and in phone calls to city hall, but few public objections to back-to-back utility rate increases at a Monday night Oak Ridge City Council meeting.

The Council voted in two separate 6-1 votes to raise water and sewer rates in January 2014 and again in January 2015. The increases range from 8 percent to 15 percent.

The new rate hikes, which will be considered on second and final reading in October, would result in water bills that could go up by a minimum of $1.35 per month in January 2014 and then another $1.19 per month in 2015. Sewer bills would increase a minimum of $2.78 per month next year and then rise another $2.13 per month the following year. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: David Mosby, electric rate, EPA, Janice McGinnis, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge City Council, rate increases, sewer bills, sewer rate, sewer system overflows, Tennessee Valley Authority, Trina Baughn, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, utility rate increases, water bills, water rate, water treatment plant

Council to consider utility rate increases, sewer tanks, new fire trucks

Posted at 1:58 pm August 29, 2013
By John Huotari 23 Comments

Emory Valley Road Sewer System Holding Tank

A draft image of what a sewer system holding tank could look like on Emory Valley Road east of the former Daniel Arthur Rehabilitation Center. The proposal could change based upon input from Oak Ridge City Council members. (Images courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Oak Ridge officials are considering utility rate increases that could cost many residents another $6.87 per month, and they have also proposed building three large sewer system holding tanks, including two near busy roadways, in response to a federal order requiring the city to stop all sewer system overflows by September 2015.

Council could consider those proposals, as well as a request to buy three new fire trucks, during its Sept. 9 meeting. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: automated meters, Cairo Road, cash, Charlie Hensley, Chris Mitchell, Daniel Arthur Rehabilitation Center, Darryl Kerley, East Plant Pump Station, electricity, Emory Valley Road, EPA, fire engines, fire trucks, Gary Cinder, Jack Suggs, Lamar Dunn, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Electric Department, Oak Ridge Fire Department, Oak Ridge Public Library, rate increases, Scarboro Road, sewer system holding tanks, sewer system overflows, South Illinois Avenue, substation controls, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, utility billing, utility modernization, utility rate increases, wastewater, water, water plant

Guest column: The City Council should negotiate with EPA

Posted at 9:38 pm March 15, 2013
By Martin McBride 1 Comment

At its next meeting, the Oak Ridge City Council will consider whether to attempt to negotiate a better deal with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the sewer upgrades or not.

About three and a half years ago, the EPA inspected the Oak Ridge sewer system and noted excessive rain water leaking into that system during storms. In April 2010, EPA sent the city a show cause letter which requested a face-to-face meeting to “show cause” why EPA should not intervene. Instead of meeting with EPA, the Council chose to phone in an informal response. Subsequently, EPA imposed a 20-page administrative order filled with expensive add-on requirements and a $170,000 civil penalty.

The total cost of the sewer improvements is in the neighborhood of $50 million. Paying for these improvements has so far required two major utility rate increases and a major increase in city debt. More rate hikes are likely.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns Tagged With: administrative order, debt, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Martin McBride, Oak Ridge City Council, rain water, rate hikes, sewer improvements, sewer system, sewer upgrades, show cause, utility rate increases

Guest column: Recommends more negotiations with EPA, DOE on sewer system upgrade

Posted at 12:59 pm January 13, 2013
By Martin McBride 2 Comments

Note: This is a copy of a letter sent to Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and Oak Ridge City Council members, among others.

Dear Mayor Beehan,

Next Monday evening you will begin considering a major increase in the Oak Ridge city debt to finance the sewer upgrade project. This increase and the associated utility rate increases:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns Tagged With: debt, DOE, EPA, EPA order, Martin McBride, negotiations, Oak Ridge, sewer system upgrade, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, utility rate increases

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