Water utility rate increasing | KELOLAND.com

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) — Water Rates in Rapid City are increasing.

Earlier this month the Rapid City council passed a resolution for the increase throughout town.

The city brought in a third party to help do the evaluation on water needs and to get an independent opinion.

“Revenue that is brought in by those rates again, help to facilitate new infrastructure, help to rebuild some of our older infrastructure around town, that includes all the facilities and the underground utilities as well,” Assistant Public Works Director Kristen Hasse said.

These rates for the water changes are expected to be around 10 to 12 percent difference on your bills. And the city has equaled that out to be about six water bottles purchased every month. Now there are some people in this city that are putting together petitions fighting back against this water rate change.

Petitions have been out for a few days to raise awareness.

“This has not been a transparent process and it’s not the way to raise money for predicted future needs. These are all speculative things and there’s nothing particularly on the drawing board right now,” Rapid City resident Tonchi Weaver said.

“All of our residents, so that’s a shared cost. But we completely understand that it is a large investment, it’s a big ask basically for our residents and we understand that. But it’s important to invest in our infrastructures,” Hasse said.

The City Council approved the second reading to adjust the rate schedule for the City’s Water Utility through 2029.

The city is hoping to have this all finalized and to begin changes starting in April.