No Increase in 2013 Water and Sewer Rates for Canton Residents

Even though Canton Township is faced with an increase in rates from the Detroit Water and Sewer Department (DWSD), residents will not see any increases in their water and sewer bills this year. 

"The bottom line is that the rates that Canton residents will pay this year will be the same as what they paid last year," Canton Supervisor Phil Lajoy said. "Even though there was an increase of about 9 percent from DWSD, we're absorbing that increase."

Current water and sewer rates are:

• $3.90 per 1,000 gallons: water consumption rate
• $6.23 per 1,000 gallons: sewage disposal rate
• $10.13 per 1,000 gallons of water used (combined rate)

The township will use $2.15 million of the roughly $5.6 million of access cash in the Water and Sewer Fund balance to go towards softening the rate increase, according to Municipal Services Director Tim Faas.

The township conducts a study once a year to determine water and sewer rates by gathering all the data then looking at the fund balance, LaJoy said. Staff members conducted this year's annual rate study January through March.

During the March 19 meeting, Finance and Budget Director Wendy Trumbull said with the zero percent increase this year and the use of $2.15 million and based on a storage increase for 2014 and 2015, there would be a five percent rate increase if projections hold true, according to meeting minutes. 

The 2013 rates are effective beginning May 1. 

For more information, visit www.canton-mi.org.