CROTHERSVILLE

Unmetered sewer users in Crothersville will see a lower bill in May.

During a recent meeting, the Crothersville Town Council unanimously passed the second and final reading of an ordinance to change the monthly flat rate for unmetered users from $105.61 to $76.51.

A public hearing was conducted to start the meeting, and no one spoke in favor of or against the ordinance. The second reading and subsequent vote came later in the meeting.

Council President Danieta Foster said the rate change will be reflected on the May billing, which is the bill for April.

At some point in the past, Crothersville officials established a sewer rate for utilities customers without town water based on 6,000 gallons of monthly usage.

With the sewer rate increase that started in February, the monthly flat rate for unmetered users also jumped.

Foster said it was established that the town may make a property owner hook up to the town’s sewer line if they are within 300 feet of it.

Some residences are hooked up and pay the flat rate because they are outside town limits and don’t have town water, so there’s no way of metering their line, and they receive a large sewer bill, she said.

There are 16 property owners impacted. A couple are on Bethany Road, while the rest are on Moore Street and County Road 600S. Foster said most are one- or two-person households with a monthly usage of 3,000 to 4,000 gallons.

During the February council meeting, Foster proposed having the property owners buy a meter or lowering the rate. She favored the latter option, and her fellow council members agreed.

Based on 4,000 gallons of monthly usage, the rate will change to $76.51, which is a $13.23 increase from last year.

For the town, Foster said it would result in a reduction in revenue of $5,936.40 a year for all 16 homes.

She also said there are some properties not hooked to the town’s sewer line.

“From the day that (the ordinance) starts forward, these people would not have to pay the sewer if they are not hooked onto it,” Foster said. “That would be an additional $1,267.32 (loss of revenue) for each one of those.”

Since the ordinance passed, there will be a total yearly reduction in revenue of less than $10,000, Foster said.