COM 0657.006 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

j I Lawmakers reject relief for sewer customers By JASON ARMSTRONG West Hawaii Today HILO -New county sewer Robert Thompson, a Kona Bay rates have some customers paying Estates homeowner, said his sewer huge increases and others urinal- bill jumped Crom $36 to $210 ing outside to lower expenses, yet because he waters his lawn and these and other first-hand fills a swimming pool with water accounts failed to convince law- that never reaches the county's makers Thursday to back rclicf sewage treatment plant. legislation. "Over in Kona, we have to use a Bimonthly bills since July have fair amount of water for landscape been based on water use under a irrigation," he told commiuce fee schedule the Hawaii County members. "I do object to being sin- Council's Finance Committee gled out along with other pcoplc voted 5-3 not to change despite who live in West 1-]awaii." pleas from sevaral customers. Judy Bailey, another Kona Bay An estimated two-thirds of the Estates homeowner, said her recent 6,241 homes, apartments and busi- sewer bill was $585 fora two- nesses served by the county's month period sewer system arc now pay much Masa Takaki, a Papaikou resi- higher bills. The cost increases arc dent, said he is also I'ucing higher due to a consumption surcharge Cor sewage lets bec:msc his grandson water use that exceeds a specific uses a lot of water to raise fish for limit, such as ] 2,000 gallons a a school science project. month for single-family house- "With the consumption fees, now holds. FI'OfTt Page 1A just the $20 monthly flat rate lial exemptions to lower their the men use the bathroom out- received support only from tom- sewer bills. doors;'Takaki said. "We arc forced miltce Chairman Aaron Chung of Lawmakers who voted against to do these unsanitary things Htlo, Hamakua Councilman repealing the consumption sur- because of the usage of water." Dominic Yagong and North Kona charges said they Cecl the maxi- Councilman Curtis Tyler. mum-use amounts arc rcasonablc. Repealing the consumption sur- "I believe there is no rcasonablc Thcy also expressed concerns charges would cu[ scwcr revenues nexus between water usage and about losing millions of dollars that by $2.A million a year, according to scwcr usage;' Chung said. arc earmarked Cor county opera- acounty estimate prepared for law- Tyler noted county scwcr cos- lions. makers. tomers may install a second meter The full council is expected to Abill that would asses customers to ~auQC irrigation use or seek par- -volt on the rclicf bill in two weeks. Council ®Ks 25 percent sewer rate hike By JASON ARMSTRONG tomers, whose rates will not change. month Cor a typical household. "The rates were set too low to West Hawaii Today "We need to make sure pcoplc Landscape irrigation and other begin with," North Kona HILO -The county's residen- arc paying for the services,' Kau high-demand water uses have Councilman Curtis Tyier said. tial sewer rates will increase from Councilman John Santangelo said. resulted in about 15 percent of res- Opposition to [he higher rates $20 to $25 per month, although "This is a fair and equitable policy idential customers paying the sur- came from Hamakua Councilman customers will no longer be subject that's going to benefit the pcoplc." charge, according to county Dominic Yagong and Hilo to a surcharge for excessive water Sewer rates must generate records. Some pay more than $100 Councilman Aaron Chung. use under the new Oat-rate plan. enough revenues to offset opera- a month Cor sewer services. Yagong called the consumption The Hawaii Courtly Council lion and maintenance costs for the Lawmakers agreed to switch to a fcc "totally unfair" and suggested voted 7-2 Wednesday to approve county to comply with the condi- flat rate in an effort to achieve a keeping the $20 flat rate for a year the new rates, which arc expected Lions of federal grants used to par- fairer system that would still goner- and then evaluating the program. to take effect at the start of the next Bally finance its system. ate the same aC revenues as the cur- "All we're doing is moving the bimonthly billing cycle. Rates Cur the county's 2,400 sin- rcpt system using the surcharge. chairs around," he said. A second Council vote, expected gle- and multiple-family costumers "This really isn't too much of a Chung said customers cannot in two weeks, is rcyuired before the rose from $ 18 per month to the cur- burden to bear," Kohala Council- withstand a combined $7 monthly new rate will become law. rent $20 last July ] .The rate plan man John Ray said of his bill impos- increase in less than a year. I{e A surcharge for excessive water included a surcharge of $3.55 for ing the Oat $25 monthly rate. "(II is called for a compromise increase use will continue to be applied to every 1,000 gallons of water above ihe) most equitable and responsible oC $3 per month, although other the county's 700 cocmnercia] cos- the limit of 12,000 gallons per way to address the situation.' lawmakers refused to support that.