Mokane scheduled to raise sewer rates, again

The city council here discussed the recent decision to raise the community's sewer and water rates during a brief meeting Monday night.

"We're going to be raising our sewer and water rates. That was approved at the last meeting and they talked about it again (tonight)," said Mokane City Clerk Dee Pfeiffer.

Starting Jan. 1, 2011, rates will go from $15 per month to $20, and will go up again on Jan. 1, 2012, to $25 per month. The council already had increased the sewer and water rate last year from $10 to $15 per month.

Asked about the motivation behind the consistent jump in fees, Pfeiffer cited increasingly high standards set by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

"DNR is putting so many restrictions on how sewer treatment is done," Pfeiffer said. "To keep up with the demands they make, we have to increase our rates to keep services up."

"It's just the cost of maintaining (our facilities)," agreed council member Lance Clingman