Residents in the vicinity of Bakers Corner in Hamilton County are looking at adjusted figures on their water and sewer bills, following a recently announced rate setting by the Hamilton County Regional Utility District Board of Trustees. These changes accompany the development of a new utility district east and west of U.S. 31 between 236th and 276th streets, a part of a $45 million infrastructure project that aims to upgrade the area's accessibility to vital services. Taking a detailed look at the rate breakdown, homeowners will see a monthly residential sewer base rate of $45.23 and a usage rate of $4.95 per 1,000 gallons whereas water will be billed at a base rate of $24.36 monthly for a 5/8” meter and $4.06 per 1,000 gallons for usage, as per Hamilton County's release.
For a visual grasp what these numbers translate into on a day-to-day basis, a graphic entailing three billing scenarios for a single-family home has been laid out – one for homes connected only to sewer; another for those hooked to both water and sewer, specifically with a 5/8” meter consuming 4,000 gallons per month and a more consuming scenario representing usage of 7,000 gallons per month. Hamilton County Commissioner and board member Mark Heirbrandt stressed the importance of transparency in a statement, "We want to be as transparent as we can so residents can plan ahead," adding "We want the community to understand the real costs, know what to expect, and most importantly, know their options," according to the official Hamilton County announcement.
While addressing prevalent concerns and rumors among the local populace, the HCRUD board emphasized that inclusion in the Utility District does not equate to mandatory connection to services offered. Heirbrandt clarified that residents are obliged to connect to the sanitary sewer system only when a sewer main has been installed next to their property, they've been officially notified of sewer availability, and their home sits within 300 feet of the sewer main, so if a homeowner's situation deviates from these listed conditions, connection isn't enforced.
For those facing the requirement to link up to the new system, options are available: they can choose to push ahead with the connection or they may seek a sewer connection exemption from the Hamilton County Health Department elected exemptions span a decade with the potential for two consecutive five-year renewals amounting to an overall twenty-year grace period, assuming their septic systems are in working condition. It's also clarified that connecting to public water isn't a must and residents who do opt in can still utilize their existing well systems for non-household functions like irrigation and livestock, providing they sever the connection to the house's indoor plumbing to eliminate risks of cross-connection.
