Streator increases sewer bill by 5%

Streator sewer bills will increase next month, but not as fast as initially proposed.

The City Council opted Tuesday for a 5% increase to the bill annually for the next three years beginning May 1. Last month, City Engineer Jeremy Palm suggested a roughly 14% increase to the overall bill to overcome a projected shortfall of about $300,000 per year. When the 8th Avenue peanut buttery factory closed on Iowa Avenue, the city lost about $180,000 in revenues to its sewer fund.

Based on the new rates, Streator residents should expect to see an increase of about $1.55 for the average user of 500 cubic feet from $34.25 to $35.80.

The bill will increase 5% in 2023 and another 5% in 2024, according to the plan. After the final 5% increase in 2024, the ordinance will call for a 2% increase in 2025. The City Council will have the opportunity to adjust the rates each year should it find it necessary, said City Manager David Plyman.

At the end of the three-year period, the average monthly bill for residents should be in the ballpark of $39.47.

Council members said last month they preferred incremental increases for residents, rather than hitting them all at once with a sizable increase.

Palm said last month the city had not had an increase in its sewer rate since 2008, and if the increase were to be measured annually since then, it would amount to about a 1% hike per year. Other communities have built-in annual increases to their sewer bills, similar to what Streator will implement in 2025 with a 2% annual increase.