Plymouth Township residents can breathe a sigh of relief where their water rates are concerned.

On Tuesday night, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve an amendment to the Detroit Water Service Contract that would reduce the proposed 40 percent rate increase to an 18 percent increase, thanks to negotiations between the township and the Detroit Water and Sewer Board of Commissioners.

The 40 percent proposed increase came in February when the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department announced regional water rate increases. Plymouth Township topped the list with the highest proposed rate hikes. The township, like most other Metro Detroit communities, receives its water from the city of Detroit.

"That 40 percent water increase was locked in for three years," Richard Reaume, township supervisor said. "They offered to adjust our factors in volume of purchased additional water. They'll reduce our maximum day to 10.66 to hold our peak hour. What that will do is lower each individual gallon of water purchased down from a 40 percent increase to an 18 percent increase."

The current monthly water rate in the township is $3.10 for water and 5.25 for sewer, for a total of $8.35. The 18 percent increase will add 70 cents per 1,000 gallons of water to the current monthly water rate, making it $3.80. Sewer rates will remain the same, for a total of $9.05.

Reaume said this amendment to the Detroit Water Service contract is good for one year, and that after that year, the township has the ability to reduce the rate increase even further based on consumption levels and the township following through on a corrective action plan to install new valves and pumps on the water tank located on 5 Mile Road.

The new rate is still about three cents less than Northville Township, about $1.25 less than the City of Plymouth and Canton Township according to Ron Edwards, township treasurer.

"The only other community that is lower than us is the City of Northville right now," Edwards said.

The new rates will be effective immediately.

There are no restrictions on township residents for water usage. However, the township is encouraging people not to water or to use the least amount of water between 6 a.m. to noon and again from 6 p.m. to midnight.