Marthasville aldermen are drafting a plan to gradually raise water and sewer fees by as much as $20 per month over the next 10 years.

Aldermen discussed the city’s water and sewer rates at their May 20 public meeting. The increased fees would go toward maintenance and improvement of the city’s water and sewer systems.

Mayor David Lange said data from a statewide Missouri Public Utility Alliance survey shows Marthasville has amongst the lowest fees for water and sewer service among all towns in Missouri.

“I found six cities that have a cheaper water rate than Marthasville in the whole state,” Lange commented. “If you go by median household income ... we’re the second-cheapest place in the state to afford to pay for water and sewer, based on (percentage of) household income.”

Marthasville currently charges a base fee of $8 per month for water service and $13 for sewer, along with smaller charges based on usage, Lange said.Lange said although the city prefers to keep these rates low, engineers have been recommending for years that the city increase its fees in order to pay for utility improvements.

Among those improvements are a pump-driven sewage line to take treated wastewater to the river, as well as future UV light treatment required by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Lange said. He added those improvements are probably going to increase the city’s costs for electricity and maintenance by thousands of dollars each year.

Lange proposed raising water and sewer rates by $2 each per monthly bill. Then each year after, the city should again raise monthly rates by $1 each, Lange suggested.

That would mean residents 10 years from now would be charged $19 per month for water and $24 per month for sewer. Under that proposal, Marthasville would still be within the bottom half of Missouri cities for water and sewer rates, Lange said. Marthasville hasn’t raised its water and sewer fees since 2008, he added.

“We’re extremely cheap. We’re at the bottom of the barrel. It’s hard to sustain and make upgrades to the system, and pay wages and benefits,” Lange commented.

West Ward Alderman Chris DeVore agreed that rates need to increase, calling it a “necessary evil.”

“It’s no secret that the water and sewer system in Marthasville is probably not the best, or not as good as it used to be 30 years ago,” DeVore commented. “You need to raise the rates every now and again to be able to upgrade the system, or even maintain the system.”

Aldermen debated what the final amount of the increase should be and how much rates should go up each year. West Ward Alderman Leo Meyer asked if it would be feasible every year to increase rates on water and sewer by $2 each, a total increase of $40 per month after 10 years. East Ward Alderman Nick Lange answered that such an increase would be too steep, even with the city’s current low rates.

Alderman Lange motioned to follow the mayor’s proposal to increase water and sewer fees by $2 each in 2020, and then automatically increase by $1 each for the next nine years. He also motioned to automatically increase the usage fees on water and sewer by 2 cents per 100 gallons each year.

Board members voted 3-0 to move forward with the proposal, with East Ward Alderman Dan Grafrath absent. Ordinances creating the rate increases come for a final vote at the board’s June 17 meeting at Marthasville City Hall.

If approved, Mayor Lange said the initial rate increase would take effect July 1, the beginning of the city’s next fiscal year.