Auburn's new water rate was set Feb. 6 by the Consolidated Infrastructure Management Authority (CIMA), which met to approve the 70 percent increase.

It was deemed necessary to pass the increase, said CIMA financial administrator Keith Batchelor, because of the added cost associated with the wholesale purchase of water from the Logan/Todd Water Commission at $2.91 per 1,000 gallons.

The increase was approved to go into effect upon connection with Logan/Todd, which is expected in April.

Some examples of the increase are as follows:

A 1,000-gallon per month user currently pays $6.35 per month. The 70 percent revision will bring that monthly cost to $10.80. This is a $4.45 per month increase.

A 3,000-gallon per month user currently sees $14.72 per month water bill. That figure will increase to $25.04, seeing a $10.32 difference per month.

A 5,000-gallon per month user will go from $24.02 per month to $40.86. This reveals a $16.84 increase on a monthly bill.

A normal household consumer uses between 3,000 to 5,000 gallons of water per month.

Auburn's Hosiery Mill is looking at a considerable increase as they are the largest user of water in the city of Auburn. A current 5,000-gallon a month user (such as industry) pays $1,736 monthly. The 70 percent increase will take them to $2,957, an increase of $1,220 per month.

An important factor Auburn City water customers need to know is that their sewer costs-- which are billed upon water consumption-- will not suffer the change.

"Be is further noted that the sewer charges have been modified from 1.5 times water charge, to .885 times water charge. This in essence keeps sewer charges at the same level (cost) as currently being billed," said Batchelor.

Also, beginning June 30, the surcharges which were placed upon Auburn customers a year ago to offset budget shortfalls will drop off. They are 50 cents per 1,000 gallons on water and 75 cents per 1,000 gallons on sewer.

East Logan customers don't need to confuse themselves with Auburn customers as they are on a completely different supplier.

n East Logan is a water district who serves customers surrounding the city of Auburn.

C.K. Hanks, manager of East Logan, told the N-D&L that he does not anticipate East Logan customers seeing a large rate increase when Logan/Todd comes on line simply because the district had already experienced a recent increase when Russellville raised its wholesale prices, causing the District to raise theirs.

East Logan Water currently purchases its water from Russellville, but will switch over to Logan/Todd in April.

Recent proposed rate increases have been causing concern among a great deal of Logan County's citizens as well as other communities on board with Logan/Todd.

Russellville saw a 43 percent increase, with Adairville facing a possible low of 58 percent or as high as 264 percent. They are still struggling with which option to take.

n Lewisburg is currently undergoing the same decision process. Carryn Lee and Andy Lange, financial analysts for Kentucky Rural Water-- who was hired by LTRWC to help communities conduct rate studies-- visited Lewisburg last week, bringing with them Lewisburg's options.

One of the options came in at a 111 percent increase as a high for in-town customers with a 74 percent increase for out-of-town customers.

But, before panic sets in, Lewisburg is still in the preliminary phase, said Lange. "They are still looking at their options," he said.

One of those options includes an analysis completed by Jeff Cisney, Lewisburg water superintendent.

According to his figures, a 69 percent increase may only be necessary. This would see a current 2,000 gallon monthly user going from $11.75 per month to $16.95 per month.

However, before anything is set into stone, the city of Lewisburg has scheduled a public meeting for Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, for citizens to come and be informed of the choices.