CR 91-09 Sanitary Sewer Rate Increase
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January 2, 1991 OPK\" Council Report #91-9
PROPOSED SANITARY SEWER RATE INCREASE
Proposed Action.
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: "Move the Second Readinq of
Ordinance 90-670, an Ordinance Establishinq Sanitarv Sewer Rates for 1991 and
Amendinq Section 715.07 of the 1986 Hopkins Code of Ordinances.
Overview.
Metropolitan Waste Control commission disposal fees have risen 25% over the past
th~ee years. The variances in weather and MWCC costs plus the two year lag in
receiving adjustments from estimated flow to actual costs make projections highly
unstable. Increased MWCC disposal fees in anyone year have ranged from 3.6% to a
15.1% over the past three years. Disposal fees are about 71% of total sanitary
sewer operating costs. Other costs have risen 30% over the last three year period.
The last city rate increase was in 1989 to the present rate of $1. 75 per 1,000
gallons of water used. There was a profit in 1989, however a $65,000 loss, at the
present rate, is projected for 1990. Even with the proposed rate increase for 1991
only a small profit is anticipated.
. The proposed rate increase is to the level of $2.00, an increase of $.25 (14.3%) per
1,000 gallons of water used or on a. typical household usage of 5,000 gallons per
month, the cost increase would be $1. 25 per month. Hopkins 1991 rate would be in
line with several other typical suburbs.
!
In addition, over the next four years $718,000 is proposed to repair and reconstruct
lift stations. Part of the increase would be used to pay as constructed rather than
issue bonds. Also, an increase in maintenance of sewer lines is expected with the
increased preventive maintenance program employing more TV line inspection.
Primary Issues To Consider.
0 Retain the present rate of $1.75 thus allowing retained earnings to decrease.
0 Select a smaller rate increase with the uncertain hope that the increase trend
will stop, slow down or reverse.
0 Will reduced maintenance cause more expensive major repairs?
Supportinq Information.
0 RCM - water and sewer rates review.
0 Ordinance 90-670.
0 Rate and utility bill comparison.
.
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...~ Proposed Sanitary Sewer Rate Increase
Report 91-9
Page 2
Analysis
A $.25 rate increase is needed for two main reasons.
MWCC charges have risen 25% over the last three years or an average
annual increase of 8.3%. The MWCC charges fluctuate with their
operating costs, due to many things, but heavily influenced by weather
and the procedure of not adjusting the city's actual bill until two
years after their operating year.
Consequently City rate increases are not proposed on MWCC annual
estimate of the coming year's charge, but an averaging of actual flow
charges is annually monitored and city rates are proposed to be
adjusted when a firmer trend is identified.
From 1981 to 1984 sewer rates were raised every year in amounts of
$.10 to $.25. Then no raise was made for five years until a $.25
raise was approved in 1989 at which level it was expected to slightly
reduce retained earnings, which will happen in 1990.
__ The other main component of the rate increase is to fund major work on
41' three lift station$ over the next four years. This part of the rate
increase will generate about $89,000 per year to pay for $718,000 of
improvements as outlined in the CIP budget. Increasing revenues
starting in 1991 will allow the construction to be funded by the Sewer
Fund and avoid issuance of bonds.
Every time rate increases are proposed, the question arises about
fairness of the effective date. One solution that is brought forward
is to convert to monthly billing.
Monthly billing is possible with the present City's billing computer.
The cost increase to provide monthly bills is tremendous. Since water
and sewer charges are based on metered flow of water, more personnel
would be required both to read all the meters monthly and to process
the increased volume of paperwork. Cost to issue more bills, postage
to mail original bills and late notices, and processing, mailing,
follow-up, and resolving late notices and shutoff notices would
require reduction of other duties of the utility clerk.
Monthly billing would require a rate increase by itself.
One solution to obtain a "fairer" method would be to rotate the
effective date of an increase during the first three months of a year
when an increase is deemed necessary. The last utility rate increase
was January, 1990, thus the proposed sewer rate as of February, 1991,
4It would be employing this method for the current increase.
Another method would be to authorize a rate increase three months in
advance of the billing date. This procedure would establish rates in
advance of usage periods. i.e.: rate increase effective January 1,
19XX - usage during January, February and March would be reflected on
the April 1, 19XX, bill.
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. November 2, 1990
Mr. Jon Thiel, Director of Public Works
City of Hopkins
1010 South 1st Street
Hopkins, MN 55343
RE: Water and Sewer Rates
RCM Project No. 14021.02
Dear Jon:
At your request, we have reviewed the projects in your Capital Improvement
Program (ClP) and have estimated cash flow requirements necessary to
generate sufficient revenue to replace the funds' needed to complete these
. . projects.
Conclusion
~[ll] . We have recommended an increase in sanitary sewer rates of $0.25/1000
gallons to generate adequate cash flow to finance the projects in the CIP. We
have recommended that the water rates be increased next year by $0.10/1000
rieke gallons and an additional $0.10/1000 gallons for the following three years.
.rroll .
uller These recommendations are based on the following assumptions:
Cissociates, Inc.
en~eers
arc itects 1. Maintain or generate positive annual fund balances.
land surveyors
equal opportunity 2. Maintain retained earnings in excess of:
employer
a. $2,000,000 in sanitary sewer account.
b. $3,000,000 in water account.
3. Inflation rate of 5% per year. .
Our analysis is based on a 7% interest rate and repayment periods based on
estimated project life.
Sanitary SewerProiects
The sanitary sewer projects listed in the CIP include work at Lift Stations #4,
5, and 6. Based upon a IS-year payback period, we have estimated peak cash
. needs of $89,000 per year from 1994 through 2006. Based on current annual
sewer service charge revenues, an 8% increase in rates (approximately
$0.14/1000 gallons) should be made. Additional increases should be made to
provide an annual increase to the fund balance.. We would recommend an
increase in the sanitary sewer rates to $2.00/1000 gallons.
'. Water System Proiects
The water project needs as defined in the ClP were analyzed. Some of the
projects have either 10-year or 20-year payback periods depending on the
10901 red circle drive
box 130
minnetonka, minnesota 55343
612-935-6901
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Mr. Jon Thiel
November 2, 1990
-- Page 2
nature of the proj~ct. Because of the phased nature of these projects, it
appears that the peak cash needs will be $336,000 per year between the years
1994 and 2001. Based on current annual water service charge revenue, a 49%
increase in water rates (approximately $0041/1000 gallons) should be made.
This increase maintains the annual positive fund balance increase situation
and utilizes $1,000,000 of the retained earnings.
The water rates could be increased by approximately $0.10/1000 gallons each
year for the next four years to generate the needed water revenue. These rate
increases could star,t in the 1991-1992 budget year if desired.
I,
Cash Flow Summarv
We have attached a summary showing the project schedule and the estimated
cash flow needs for both the water and sewer system.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact us.
. L
William B. Cook,P.E.
RIEKE CARROLL MULLER ASSOCIATES, INC.
WBC/ jj
Attachment
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. HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO. 90-670
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING SANITARY SEWER
RATES FOR 1991 AND AMENDING SECTION 715.07
OF THE 1986 HOPKINS CODE OF ORDINANCES
WHEREAS, Disposal fees paid to Metropolitan Waste Control commission
have increased over the past three years, and
WHEREAS, It is estimated the present sewer rate will result in
operating losses for this year and the next,
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Hopkins as follows:
I. That section 715.07, Subdivison 1 and 2 of the 1986 Hopkins Code
of Ordinances is hereby amended as follows:
(1) Residential. The gross sanitary sewer service charge for
residential customers is $2.00 per 1,000 gall<;>ns of water used
plus 5% of the sewer charge.
(2) Commercial. Sanitary sewer service charges for commercial
. customers is $2.00 per 1,000 gallons of water used plus 5% of the
sewer charge.
II. That the existing chaxges for the above services are hereby
repealed.
III. EFFECTIVE DATE: The provisions of this Ordinance shall take
effect and be in force in connection with all billing rendered
hereunder from and after February 4, 1991.
First Reading: December 11, 1990
Second Reading: January 8, 1991
Date of Publication: January 16, 1991
Date Ordinance Takes Effect: February 4, 1991
Nelson W. Berg, Mayor
Attest:
.
City Clerk
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