Mayor Miller's Statement Regarding Proposed Water and Sewer Tariff

Mayor’s Statement Regarding Proposed Water and Sewer Tariff Increases

Dear Ravenswood Residents:

 As you’ll see on upcoming agendas, the City of Ravenswood will be proposing water and sewer tariff increases upon substantial completion of our water and sewer construction/upgrades, if approved by the Public Service Commission. Both the water and sewer municipal projects are still a year or more away from substantial completion, therefore, delaying any increases at this time.

These proposed increases were brought about by Senate Bill 234 (adopted in 2015) which mandated that the City maintain a capital reserve fund related to its Municipal Water Department. On February 24th, 2020 the Public Service Commission issued an order changing the method in which the Cash Working Capital Reserve (CWCR) allowance was calculated. Also, as a result of similar unfunded mandates by the Bureau for Public Health in their 2017 Sanitary Survey, dictating that certain improvements to the water system are required in order to maintain state approval. In response, the City retained the accounting firm of Griffith & Associates, PLLC, in order to assess the financial impact to the City for these state mandates. The proposed rates are based on Griffith’ recommendations. The City of Ravenswood must, at the least, commit to these increases in order to be able to proceed with a much-needed overhaul of our aging infrastructure, to meet requirements by the Bureau for Public Health (who is funding the water project), and ensure we comply with the recent order from the Public Service Commission.

Respectfully, Joshua Miller, Mayor