WHITE HALL – The White Hall City Council increased municipal water rates, water deposits, water reconnect fees and monthly garbage collection charges Monday.
The increases are effective with the August billing.
The White Hall Street, Water and Sewer Committee unanimously approved the rate hikes earlier this month and sent the proposals to the council with a recommendation to adopt the increases.
Mayor Noel Foster’s recommendation to increase the fee for weekly residential trash collections from $12 to $12.50 a month was approved unanimously by the aldermen.
White Hall collects fees for weekly trash collections for Waste Management, adding the charge to monthly statements for water and sewer services.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
To avoid operating a deficit in the water department, Foster recommended raising the monthly charge for the first 1,000 gallons of water used by a household or business from $5.50 to $6; increasing the rate for 1,001 to 10,000 gallons from $2.20 to $2.70 a month; and the monthly charge for each 1,000 gallons over 10,000 gallons from $1.74 to $2.24.
He also recommended increasing the deposit fee for water service from $50 to $150 and hiking the reconnect fee from $30 to $50.
While White Hall now buys water from United Water Arkansas, the city is responsible for maintenance of the distribution system, including water meters, Foster noted.
Foster said he anticipated the average household will see a $2 to $3 increase in monthly water charges, with little impact on low volume users.
Aldermen waived the normal procedure and placed the two ordinances involving the rate increases on three readings Monday. Each measure included an emergency clause.