Georgetown water, sewer rate increase proposed to start March 1

GEORGETOWN, Ky. (WTVQ) – People in Georgetown are still waiting to see how a proposed water and sewer rate increase will effect their homes and their pockets. On Monday night, no vote was recorded.

“To delay further is to increase costs,” says Willow Hambrick, a Georgetown city council member.

Instead, council members hearing the latest amendment to the proposal from Georgetown Municipal Water and Sewer Service. One of many since last November.

Currently, the plan stands at a 17% increase for the first three years followed by a 6% increase for another three years, totaling a compounded increase of 84.7%. This proposed plan would go into effect March 1, 2023 and be reflected on bills in April.

“We have to do this. The two mistakes that were made, and again correct me if I’m wrong, are a significant but actually small part of all of the needs that we have currently, that if we don’t do we aren’t going to be able to continue to have good, fresh, clean water and waste water control,” says Hambrick.

While many council members understand a rate increase is necessary after years of not having one, some of them are concerned about their fellow community members and their ability to make ends meet.

“I’m still concerned about the single moms, single dads, like I said the people living paycheck to paycheck,” says Sonja Wilkins-Brent, a Georgetown city council member. “My concern is for my community. Everything is going up. They say eggs and everything else and I just- we need the senior citizens to have help but we need everyday working, hard-working people need help too sometimes.”

Mayor Burney Jenkins says the city is working hard to find outside sources to help fund this rate increase like a grant or environmental fund.

“If we are successful, that’s going to help us even further down the road on this rate,” says Jenkins.