CLEARFIELD – A proposal brought before Clearfield Borough Council recently could raise the sewer surcharge for people who live in the municipality.
Currently, customers pay $6 per 1,000 gallons as a sewer surcharge, and the borough uses some of that money for the upkeep of the system, according to Todd Banks, borough engineer with Stiffler, McGraw and Associates.
Banks proposed to council that the surcharge be raised to $7 per 1,000 gallons in 2007 and $8 per 1,000 gallons in 2008.
For the average user, that’s a $4 per month increase, according to Banks, who said customers use an average of 4,000 gallons per month.
Banks added that the money raised as a result of the surcharge should go toward paying down the debt related to the sewer project, a figure he estimated at about $31 million once the entire project is complete.
With that kind of money outstanding, the borough is staring down a $99,000 per month payment.
Right now, the average customer pays $38 per month in sewer bills. If council approves the change next month, the 2007 bill would look like about $42, with a $46 average bill in 2008.
“With interest on the surcharge money, the borough could see about $10,000 per month in interest,” Banks said.
Banks added that even with the increase, the charges are still in line with Pennsylvania averages.
In the near future, the borough will have to begin to pay back the loans on Phase I of the sewer project. A $32,000 per month payment will come due three months after the loan is closed with the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. That closing is expected in July.
Council members Barry Reddinger and Joan Robinson McMillen were absent from the meeting.