Auxvasse utility customers will see an increase to their water rates - but not as much as was initially projected.
The city council approved an ordinance at its Tuesday meeting that increased the base monthly water rate, which includes the first 1,000 gallons drawn, to $14.50 from $11.50.
The increase was necessary to help cover costs of a government-mandated water and sewer upgrade to the city's well system.
In initial discussions earlier in the year, a contentious council debated the necessity to increase the rate of each additional 1,000 gallons drawn into the home or unit. However, Mayor Kevin Phares said that it later proved unnecessary.
"We talked about that initially, but based on what the Department of Natural Resources was telling us and our numbers we were looking at, we thought we could take care of it ourselves and just increase the base rate."