COM 0689.011 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lawmakers ' rejec# 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 homcowncr, said his sewer huge irtcrcascs :tnd others urinal- bill jumped from $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 m convince law- that never reaches the county's makers Thursday to back relict sewage treatment plant. legislation. "Over in Kona, we have to use a Bimonthly bills since July have fair amount of water fur landscape been based on water use under a irrigation," he told committee (ee schedule the Hawaii County members. "I do object to being sin- Council'x Finance Commi«oe gled out along with other pcoplc voted 5-3 nut w change tkspile who live in Wcst Iiawaii." pleas Crom several customers. Judy Dailey, another Kona Bay An estimated two-thirds of the Esmtcs homcowncr, said her recent 6,241 homes, apartments and busi- sewer bill was $585 for a two- ncsses served by the county's month period. sewer system arc now pay much M;y~a -Iykaki ;t papaikou resi- highcr bills. The cost incrcasc arc dent, said he is also facing higher due to a consumption surcharge for sewage fccs lxcausc his grandson water use that exceeds a spwilic uses a lot of water to raise fish for limit, such as 12,000 gallons a a school science project. month Cor single-family house- ••Witry the consumption fccs, now holds. From Page 1A just the $20 monthly flat rate riot exemptions to lower their we men use the bathroom out- received support only from com- scwcr bills. doors:' Tukaki said. "Wc arc forced mitlcc Chairman Aaron Chung of Lawmakers who voted against «r do these unsanitary things Hilo, Hamakua Councilman repealing the conswnplion sur- bccausc of the usage of water." Dominic Yagong and North Kona charges said Utey fcel the maxr Councilman Curtis'fylcr. mum-use amounts arc reasonable. Repealing the consumption sur- •q believe there is no reasonable They also expressed concerns charges would cut sewer revenues nexus between water usage and about losing millions of dollars Urat by $2.8 million a year, according to sewer usage; 'Chung said. are earmarked for county opcra- acounty estimate prepared for law- Tyler noted county scwcr cos- lions. makers. tomcrs may install a second meter The full council is expected w A bill that would asses customers to naucc impntion use or seek oar- 'vote on the relief bill in two wccks: council OKs 25W percent sewer rate hike y JASON ARMSTRONG tomcrs, whose rata rlI t c 6 YP 'esl Hawaii Today "Wc need to make sure pcoplc Landscape irrigation and other begin with," North Kona HILO -The county's rcsidcn- arc paying for the services: Ka'u high-demand water uses have Councilman Curtis'rylcr said. d scwcr rates will incrcasc Crom Councilman John Santangelo said. resulted in about 15 percent of res- Opposition to Utc higher rates. t0 to $2S per month, :dthough "This is a fair and cyvitable policy idential customers paying the sur- came from Hamakua Counr;ihnar rstomers will no longer Ix: subject that's going to benefit the people" charge, according to county Dominic Yagong and Fiilr a surcharge Cor excessive water Sewer rates must generate records. Some pay more than $100 Councilman Aaron Chung. :c under the new Oat-rate plan. enough revenues to offset opera- a month for sewer services. Yagong called the consumpuot The Hawaii County Council lion and maintenance costs for the Lawmakers agreed to switch to a (ee "totally unfair" and suggests xcd 7-2 Wednesday to approve county to comply with the condi- ?at rate in an effort to achieve n keeping the $20 Ilat rate fur yea .c new rates, which arc expected buns of federal grants used to par- fairer system that would still gener- and then evaluating the pn,gram- i take effect :n the smrt of the next Bally finance iW system. arc the same of revenues as the cur- "All we're doing m moving th mmonthly billing cycle. Rates (or the county's 2,4W sin- rent system using the surcharge. chairs around:' he said. A second Council vote, expected gle- and multiple-Camily cusWmers "This really isn't too much of a Chung said customers came t two wccks, is rcyuired before the rose from $I8 per month to the cur- burden to bear," Kohala Council- withstand a cwnbincd $7 month) cw rate will become law. rent $20 last July I. The rate plan man]ohnRaysaidofhisbillimpos- incrcasc in less thou a year. I A surcharge fur ezccsxrvc watu included a surcharge of $3.55 for ing the Bat $25 monthly rate. "(II is called for a compromise mecca. ~c will cuntmuc to be applied to every 1,000 gallons of water above Utc) most equitable and responsible of $3 per month, although oth .c ~ ounty's 7W commercial cos- the limit of 12,W0 gallons per way to address the sitUauon:' lawmakers rc(uscd to support tha