A man gets a cup of water from the tap on Thursday, June, 13, 2019.Rachel Ellis file photo | For MLive.com

SALINE, MI - Saline residents can expect a bigger utility bill every quarter, as City Council on Monday approved an increase in water and sewer rates.

The estimated average increase per household is $81 per quarterly bill, said City Manager Colleen O’Toole during the May 2 meeting.

Council members approved the rate increase in a 5-2 vote, with supporters saying more funds were needed for improvements to the city’s utility infrastructure, such as the water treatment plant.

Starting June 1, residents will pay $5 for every thousand gallons of water consumed, an increased rate of one dollar, according to the city resolution. Sewer consumption per thousand gallons will be $12.85, or an increased rate of $4.25.

The fixed “readiness to serve” charges are also increasing for meters up to six inches. These costs are typically used for system maintenance, but will address mounting concerns from residents about the plant, said Dean Girbach, Saline’s mayor pro-tem.

“Every time I see an article or hear something, it’s about the smell at the plant, concern that we’re not going to have a plant that works, concern about our water, concern about the treatment of it,” he said. “We can’t push this issue down the road anymore at this point.”

Issues at the wastewater treatment plant came to a head when the city agreed to pay a $100,000 fine to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy for violations dating back to 2019. Saline conducted a risk management study that determined its utility system required modernization, which could come with a $46.7-million price tag, according to an engineering consulting firm hired by the city.

Read more: Saline agrees to $100K fine for environmental violations as mayor blasts regulators

The revenue generated from the rate increases will help purchase bonds to modernize city utilities, O’Toole said. The increased rates will be painful, Girbach said, but necessary to afford these improvements.

“We need to do this now,” he said. “Putting it off is not going to help us.”

Council member Jack Ceo also supported the rate increase, saying the Michigan cities and towns are facing a “crisis of aging infrastructure.” Council members Kevin Camero-Sulak, Janet Dillon and Dawn Krause also supported the rate increase to get infrastructure improvement projects moving.

Mayor Brian Marl and Council Member Jim Dell’Orco voted against the increase. Marl preferred a “more nominal” increase while the city pursued other revenue streams.

“We need clarification on our $18 million federal grant request and some additional funding streams that would chip in,” he said. “I have a little bit of trepidation and would support a more nominal increase, at least in this initial year.”

Dell’Orco expressed concern that the rates will affect residents that use the system the least, in essence subsidizing the users who consume the most water.

“My concern is the people least able to afford this (increase) will be footing the bill,” he said.

With the rates increasing on June 1, this means that the second quarter of 2022 will be the last one with the less expensive rates.

Read more from The Ann Arbor News:

No tuition increase for local Washtenaw Community College students

Hollywood loved Ann Arbor a decade ago. Here are 10 films shot in the city

Jackson College to host in-person outdoor graduation ceremonies

Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 5/1/2021).

© 2022 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.

Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.