Gainesboro To Look At Water Sewer Rates

Gainesboro Aldermen are proposing a water and sewer increase for residents and non-residents.

Jackson County Utility District serves non-residents of Gainesboro but purchases water from the city as the company does not have a water treatment plant. Gainesboro Aldermen Tom Goetz proposed the increase. Goetz said he is not sure how big of an increase it should be but he believes the rates should be different.

“If we sell the water to the county non-towns personnel or citizens that they pay a different rate than what the city pays and can we do that,” Goetz said. “And it doesn’t have to be a lot but it would be some because again the water company part of it has to run as a profit.”

Aldermen Beth Young said the city should look at raising the city’s sewer rate alongside the water rate. Young said that the cost of treating water is drastically increasing and the city cannot tax wastewater more than it already has to help cover the cost.

“If we choose to raise water rates and that’s for discussion,” Young said. “Are we also looking at sewage? Because when we do that we have to look at the rising cost of chemicals for both water and wastewater.”

Town Clerk Lisa Dodson said the sewer and water rates are currently the same, meaning that whatever is charged for water the same amount would be charged for sewer. Engineering Consultant Zeda Hillis said that historically sewer has lost money among cities in Tennessee who charge the same for water and sewer.

“The state is getting to a point where they will start separating it so you are going to have to be independently profitable and break even at least in water and sewer,” Hillis said. “But for years it is just notorious that sewer is losing money.”

Young said in most areas the sewer bill is nearly double the amount of the water bill. Aldermen have approved to put the proposal on October’s agenda.