Broken Arrow Councilors Meet, Discuss Increase In Utility Bills

Families in Broken Arrow could soon be paying more for utilities. The city claims a rate hike will lead to cleaner water.

The city hasn't upped water, sewer, storm water and sanitation costs in years, but now it's looking into tacking on $50 a year in utilities.

Broken Arrow is getting bigger, and one of the growing pains for a growing city is higher utility bills.

Krista Flasch with the City of Broken Arrow, said, "Could potentially see an increase of about $3.92 a month."

Broken Arrow is now home to 102,000. More than 1,500 homes have been built there in the past five years.

Main roads are being expanded. New businesses, like Andolini's, Warren Theatre and In the Raw, are going in; and now infrastructure is being improved with a $58 million water treatment plant.

5/28/2014 Related Story: Broken Arrow Using New $60 Million Water Treatment Plant

The city plans to offset that cost by upping utility rates.

"We haven't done a series of rate increases in a long time," Flasch said.

She said the average homeowner would see bills increase by about four dollars a month. That money, Flasch said, will make Broken Arrow water cleaner.

"When people turn on their faucet, we want clean, safe drinking water to come out," said Flasch.

Christie Beasley says four dollars a month is nothing for clean water.

"When you've seen other parts of the world that don't have what we have, I'm grateful that for four extra dollars a month, I can have clean water," she said.

Marvin Magnus said more money is more money.

"You never want any raises, with utility rates either, but four dollars is not going to break me," he said.

Monday, councilors just considered the utility increase. They'll vote in a month.

If utility rates increase, Broken Arrow rates will be comparable to Jenks.