PINEVILLE - Water rates will increase as the result of rising costs of supplying water and maintenance of equipment.

City Council, with approval from the Pineville Utility Commission, agreed rates had to be increased to keep up with rising costs of materials and maintenance during their recent monthly meeting.

The city has not kept up with the rising costs over the years; as a result, the first year increase is the steepest and will affect each utility user in Pineville and in the county.

“The next three years will be around a three percent increase. A minimum of what should have been done after the last rate increase we had in 1999,” stated Mayor Bob Madon.

“The average rate will change one dollar a month,” said Councilwoman Patricia Bingham.

She then read a summary of the water use ordinance to the council. The council and commission held two public hearings on the ordinance proposed changes.

The Pineville Council accepted the recommendation of the rate increases from the utility commission. The ordinance became effective with the second reading, Tuesday evening, where it passed second reading.

Rates still will be different for those living inside Pineville and those living in the county. The former surcharges have been summarized and included in the new rates. All Pineville Utility Commission users will be paying for construction costs and they will not be directed at certain users where water lines have been built. “All customers, outside the city limits, will be charged the same and all surcharges abolished,” the ordinance reads.

For Pineville residents water rates increased from $5.86 for the first 1,000 gallons of water to $9.00. The next 9,000 gallons goes from $2.56 to $4.40 while the next 20,000 gallons goes from $2.56 to $4.35 and over 30,000 gallons goes from $2.00 to $4.00.

As an example 5,000 gallons used to cost $16.10, now goes to $28.60. In 2007-2008 the rate will increase to $27.31, while 2008-2009 the rate will be $27.83 and in 2009-2010 the rate goes to $29.75.

The county rates will go to $14.00 for the first 1,000 gallons. The next 9,000 gallons will be $4.89 with the next 20,000 gallons costing $4.51 and over 30,000 will be $4.12.

Using the example of 5,000 gallons, county customers will be $33.56 in 2006-2007. The rate increases to $34.25, in 2007-2008, while the rate goes to $35.14, in 2008-2009 and the rate increases to $37.12 in 2009-2010.

C.J. Harte is a Correspondent for the Daily News. He can be reached via e-mail at charte@middlesborodailynews.com.