The Peru City Council approved a water rate increase at their October 9th Council Meeting which will become effective December 1, 2012. The residential base rate was $13.50 and has been increased to $18.

Also, the per 1,000 gallon rate was $3.25 and is now $4.30. 

The rate increase is based on a rate study performed last spring by the Nebraska Rural Water Association which justifies the increase in order to pay for the existing debt at the water plant. This increase is necessary since the City of Peru is facing a requirement by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality to add a detention system for total suspended solids with regard to filter backwash discharge and the need to add a back-up filter system, according to City Clerk Cindy Moran. 

Moran said water rates for the City of Peru have been quite low for many years in comparison to other communities. This rate increase will not show up on customer bills until the January billing and customers can expect to see an increase of $4 to $9. 

The vote for the increase showed Judie Douglas, Jay Moran and Ken Hastings voting in favor and Joe Whisler voting against. 

Other rate increases that will affect approximately nine users are as follows: 

Size Old Base New Base Per 1,000 Gallons

1” $19 $25.25 $4.30

2” $74 $98.50 $4.30

4” $295 $392 $4.30

6” $675 $897 $4.30