Mt. Carmel sewer commissioner Justin Dulgar is laying the groundwork for a rate increase on city sewer customers. At this  week’s city council meeting, Dulgar said over the last seven years, the city has completed an aeration project, an outfall project, and a digestor project costing a total of $3.6 million. $3.5 million of that amount was covered by an EPA loan the city will have to pay back.

Dulgar said he’s reluctant to raise rates, but the time has come…

Dulgar said this would be the first increase in sewer rates in 7 years. He said if the city council approves, the base sewer rate on the first tier would go up $4.25 a month and 50 cents for the first 1,000 on the second tier. Dulgar said he will have a presentation at the August 8th for the council to consider adopting.  If approved by the council, the rate increase, expected to generate a quarter million dollars a year, would go into effect in September or October.