WASHINGTON CITY – City residents will be paying a little more on their water bills following the City Council’s approval of a rate increase Wednesday.

The increase comes in response the Washington County Water Conservancy District raising the wholesale rate of water it sells to various municipalities across the county. The wholesale rate was increased from 84 cents per 1000 gallons to 94 cents.

The 10 cent increase went into effect July 1 and impacts Washington City, St. George, Hurricane, Ivins, Santa Clara, Toquerville, LaVerkin and Virgin.

City officials have chosen to pass the cost onto water costumers.

Washington City water customers currently pay a $1 per every 1000 gallons used. So what new rate will they be paying now?

$1.04 per 1000 gallons.

The 4 cent increase, Public Works Director Mike Shaw said, will likely add between $1 and $1.30 to a water customer’s overall bill. The average household in Washington City uses around 28,000 gallons a month, he said.

The Washington County Water Conservancy District supplies the city with an estimated 42 percent of its water, with the rest being supplied through city-owned sources like wells.

Revenues from the increase will be used exclusively to cover the district’s costs to treat and deliver water; it will not be used to fund current or future projects.

Since the district’s last rate increase in March 2008, water sales have increased 30 percent, utility costs have increased 6 percent and the weighted cost of treatment chemicals has increased 32 percent.

St. George rose its water rates in June by an additional $3. The first dollar covered the water district’s wholesale increase, while the other $2 goes toward maintaince and upgrading the city’s aging water infrastructure.

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