2008 Woodie Awards
New plant spikes costs
Andrea James
Last updated: 1/11/07 at 1:15 PM CST Section: University News
New limits from the Department of Natural Resources will force Maryville administrators to build a new sewage wastewater plant in 2009.
The new sewage plant is in response to the DNR's new limits on ammonia that will take affect in 2008. It will increase the ammonia limits to two millimeters per liter May through October and 3.9 millimeters per liter November through April, City Manager Mike Rietz said.
"The message is that our current treatment facility cannot meet these limits," Rietz said.
Maryville has three years to come into compliance with these new limits.
As a result, residents are seeing an increase in their water and sewage bills in recent months.
The price of water has increased 10 percent in November due to the construction plans for the sewage plant, Rietz said. Sewage costs also increased in December from 73 cents per 100 cubic feet to $1.49. For example, a typical water bill might cost around $50 before the price increase and near $100 after.
"The new sewer plant will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 million. We raised the rates to pay for the design engineering so we don't have to borrow the money to do that," Rietz said.
Maryville plans to begin construction of the sewage wastewater plant east of Maryville where the current treatment facility is located.
Director of Public Works Greg Decker also attributes an increasing population in Maryville to the increase of water prices, as the city is trying to accommodate for everyone.
"There are new state mandates on water, a capital improvement plan and plans to build a new water tower," Decker said.
The new sewer plant is also a part of the capital improvement plan.
Maryville has done some initial planning to determine what their needs are for a water tower and also potential locations, Rietz said.
"On the water side we have some improvements we need to make, and we need it for operations as well. When I say improvements I mean things like putting in water lines and operations are the cost of doing business," Rietz said.
Gas prices have also increased in Maryville, but not the actual rates Empire District Electric Co. charges its customers, said Amy Bass, director of corporate communications for Empire District.
A new Purchase Gas Adjustment on Nov. 20 increased gas prices from 72 cents per 100 cubic feet to 74 cents.
"The charge rates take care of transportation of the product, meter reading and other things. We charge the customers exactly what we purchase the gas for," Bass said.
Empire District purchased Aquila's Missouri natural gas systems on June 1 according to Aquila.com.
The new sewage plant is in response to the DNR's new limits on ammonia that will take affect in 2008. It will increase the ammonia limits to two millimeters per liter May through October and 3.9 millimeters per liter November through April, City Manager Mike Rietz said.
"The message is that our current treatment facility cannot meet these limits," Rietz said.
Maryville has three years to come into compliance with these new limits.
As a result, residents are seeing an increase in their water and sewage bills in recent months.
The price of water has increased 10 percent in November due to the construction plans for the sewage plant, Rietz said. Sewage costs also increased in December from 73 cents per 100 cubic feet to $1.49. For example, a typical water bill might cost around $50 before the price increase and near $100 after.
"The new sewer plant will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 million. We raised the rates to pay for the design engineering so we don't have to borrow the money to do that," Rietz said.
Maryville plans to begin construction of the sewage wastewater plant east of Maryville where the current treatment facility is located.
Director of Public Works Greg Decker also attributes an increasing population in Maryville to the increase of water prices, as the city is trying to accommodate for everyone.
"There are new state mandates on water, a capital improvement plan and plans to build a new water tower," Decker said.
The new sewer plant is also a part of the capital improvement plan.
Maryville has done some initial planning to determine what their needs are for a water tower and also potential locations, Rietz said.
"On the water side we have some improvements we need to make, and we need it for operations as well. When I say improvements I mean things like putting in water lines and operations are the cost of doing business," Rietz said.
Gas prices have also increased in Maryville, but not the actual rates Empire District Electric Co. charges its customers, said Amy Bass, director of corporate communications for Empire District.
A new Purchase Gas Adjustment on Nov. 20 increased gas prices from 72 cents per 100 cubic feet to 74 cents.
"The charge rates take care of transportation of the product, meter reading and other things. We charge the customers exactly what we purchase the gas for," Bass said.
Empire District purchased Aquila's Missouri natural gas systems on June 1 according to Aquila.com.
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