John Coffelt, Editor

The Manchester Water and Sewer Department proposed during the April 3 meeting of the Water Commission a series of rate increases that, if passed, will implement a plan of rate increases on water rates over the next several years.

“I want us to be somewhere near Tullahoma with our rates,” Water Department Director Jeffery Perry said. “We have been behind the 8-ball for quite some time. I’m not saying we should be competitive with Tullahoma, but we buy our water from the same place.”

The increases were approved by the Water and Sewer Commission and will need to go before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Proposed charges include an increase in the minimum bill for 2,000 gallons of water for a 5% increase that will compound each year through 2029 from the current $10.97 water and $13.78 sewer.

The minimum bill would be $15 for water, $20 for sewer inside the city limits and an estimated average bill would be $25 and $31 and outside the city would be $35 and $31. 

“I understand people are going to be upset, but I have to pay this bill too. It’s just part of it,” Perry said. “The rates that we are currently at do not suffice.”

Water Commission Chairman Michael Anderson agreed, “We are not trying to make money, we can’t legally, but we can’t lose money either.”

“The rates we have today are not sustainable for what we need to do,” Anderson said. “Increasing the rates on our citizens is painful, but it’s a matter of do we want to try to prevent these sewer overflows, do we want to get to the point where we don’t have water main breaks every week or do we want to keep plugging along.” 

Two of the components that affect water customers’ bills are a waste recycling fee and the solid waste fee.

Mayor Joey Hobbs said the waste recycling fee covers the expense of Street Department crews picking up leaves and household debris from the curb. He also said that garbage pickup contracted through Republic.

He said the city is looking at a long-term plan to start in-house garbage pickup. Early numbers suggest that for just under $1million, the city could purchase garbage trucks for an estimated savings of $5 per household each month.   

These fees are not added to Tullahoma Utility Authority water bills but are covered with property tax revenue. 

The recommended increases passed the Water Commission unanimously.

Increases in fees

Included in the proposal were increases in the fees the department charges related to new and existing services.

“I have a sheet of paper (from when the current fees were set) that looks like it was from the 1980s,” Perry said. “I don’t know when, but I know we are behind the times.”

The current activation fee of $35 was suggested to be increased to $100, and transfer fee of $35 was suggested to be increased to $75.

Perry said that the department is currently losing money paying labor when employees are sent out after hours.

The after-hour fee is $55, while employees are paid a minimum of two hours overtime for the call. Perry recommended that change to $100.

A return payment fee of $20 was suggested to increase to $50 and late payment fees were suggested to go from 10% to 15%.

Deposit rental fee would be kept the same but would be non-refundable.  

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.