by Malcolm Butler
City of Ruston residents will see an increase in their water rates each of the next two years and then in future years.
At the turn of the calendar, City of Ruston water rates will increase by 26.5 percent — the first of a number of increases over the next decade.
According to Ruston mayor Ronny Walker, the Ruston City Council will vote on the increase in Monday’s meeting, but it is inevitable based on a water study stemming from a $4 million grant that the city received two years ago.
“We took about $4 million in federal funds that came through the state through what is called the Water Sector,” said Walker. “The $4 million was used for water projects throughout the city. When you take those funds, you are required to do a water study to see what you should be charging for your water.
“We hired the company, and we did the study. That study has come back. You do what the study says, or you pay the ($4 million) back.”
Walker said the projects included replacing old water lines throughout the city, but mostly on the south side.
“Most of the projects were upgrading old water lines that had been there for 75 years,” said Walker. “What they are forcing cities to do is to prepare for the future. A lot of small cities and water districts are in bad financial shape so they are forcing them to correct their rates where they can survive in the future.”
According to Walker, City of Ruston residents have not seen an increase in water rates since 2009 although the city did change their method of charging a few years ago, going from cubic feet to gallons.
“We haven’t actually raised the rates since 2009,” said Walker. “The 26.5 percent increase sounds like a lot — and it is — but compared to a lot of cities, it’s not. I have heard of some unbelievable increases in a lot of cities.
“We probably should have been going up a little every single year, but we had such good rates that we didn’t raise them. Now we have to raise them to a higher level.”
According to Walker, the rate hikes are over a 10-year period.
“Over the next 10 years our rates will increase,” said Walker. “The first two years there is an increase and then it levels off for four years. Then it increases a little bit for the rest of the 10 years.
“The key to this whole thing is we don’t have a choice. Its either do it or pay the $4 million back, and we aren’t going to do that. There was a study done in 2005 that said we needed to increase it every two years, but it was never done.”
According to information found on WorldPopulationReview.com that list average water prices per state in 2024, Louisiana is one of the five least expensive within the United States at an average of $21 per month. West Virginia ($91) and California ($77) are the most expensive while Vermont ($18) and Wisconsin ($18) are the least.
In addition to the water rate increase, a new Impact Fee will be instituted starting at the beginning of the new year.
“If you build a new building — commercial or residential — a one-time fee of $750 per meter (of water) is charged,” said Walker. “Most apartments have one meter, so they would only pay $750.”
Walker said residents would see the 26.5 percent increase on their first bill they receive after January 1.
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