Sand Springs Utility Increase Begins This Week

The annual rate adjustments for Sand Springs utility customers are going into effect this month, a release from city officials said.

The adjustments represent the third year of a five-year utility rate schedule adopted by the Sand Springs City Council and Municipal Authority in 2009.

The adjustments will begin appearing with the utility bills sent to customers on March 10, 2012. Since the adjustment goes into effect on March 1, most customers will see pro-rated changes in their bills for March – with full-month adjustments appearing on their April bills.

To the average family of four living in the city limits using 7,000 gallons of water per month, discharging an average 4,000 gallons of wastewater and utilizing one refuse polycart, their utility bill will increase about $3.90 per month.

Low-use customers living in the city limits who draw 2,000 gallons of water per month, and who receive wastewater and refuse services, will see their utility bill increase about $2.70 each month. High-volume customers drawing 11,000 gallons of water per month, discharging 7,000 gallons of wastewater and using one trash polykart can expect a utility bill increase of about $5.15 each month.

In rural areas, average customers using 7,000 gallons of water each month will see their utility bill increase by about $2.30. Rural customers who use less than 3,000 gallons of water per month will see their utility bill increase by $1 each month. High use customers in rural areas who use 11,000 gallons of water each month will see about a $3.65 increase in their monthly utility bill.

The city provides water to around 12,000 customers within a 150 square-mile service area. Wastewater and solid waste operations each serve around 7,500 customers.

Customers receiving wastewater disposal service may also see a change in their Winter Quarter Averaging calculation. The annual discharge calculation for wastewater (sewer) rates is based on an average of water consumption during the months of December, January and February. Most customers use water for domestic purposes that directly result in wastewater discharges during those months.

Water rates for customers inside the city limits will change from $8.75 to $9.25 for the first 1,000 gallons used per month. The charge for monthly usage from 2,000 to 50,000 gallons will change from $4.78 to $4.95 per each thousand gallons.

For water customers outside the city limits, water rates will change from $19.00 to $20.00 for the first 3,000 gallons used per month, and from $9.55 to $9.88 per thousand gallons for monthly usage from 4,000 to 50,000 gallons.

Base wastewater rates are changing from $8.90 to $9.40 for the first 1,000 gallons discharged by customers inside the city limits. The rates are also changing from $4.93 to $5.10 per each subsequent thousand gallons discharged. Winter Quarter Averaging is used to set monthly wastewater discharge quantities for the entire year.

If customers average 4,000 gallons of water during the three Winter Quarter Averaging months, their wastewater bill would be set at 4,000 gallons each month throughout the year – even if they use higher amounts of water during the summer months to fill a swimming pool or water their lawn. That water typically does not flow into the sanitary sewer system.

The rate for single polycart residential trash service is changing from $15.50 to $16.25 per month. The stormwater management fee will increase from $2.90 to $3.50 per month.