WICHITA, Kansas – City leaders are saying bad math and poor communication are to blame for the possibility of your water bill going up.
Wichita City Manager Robert Layton says he’s frustrated. He found out a month ago the water department is millions short for 2010. Lower than expected water usage coupled with flawed financial projections mean the city has to make up for an $8 million difference and now they want you to pay for it.
City leaders are reluctant to point the finger at David Warren, who resigned as head of the water department Wednesday. But they aren’t happy with the water department today.
Layton apologized to residents for proposing a 15 percent increase in water bills.
Depending on how much water you use the average Wichitan should see an increase of between $3.50 and $17 a month. For the average Wichita customer using 3,000 gallons a month, the bill would go up around $3.50. For those using 22,500 gallons of water a month, the bill would go up more than $17.
Among the reasons the water department is in a fiscal hole is the $250 million phase two of the Aquifer Storage Recovery Project where the city is storing up its water supply to keep it from being tainted by salt water. Also being blamed are shortfalls on the amount of water the city expected residents to use. It all adds up to an $8 million hold city leaders just found out about a month ago.
“Well I’m extremely frustrated because this isn’t how I want to work, this isn’t how I work,” Layton said. “As I said, my biggest disappointment is because of our current financial condition and its immediacy; we’re not allowed to have the council function as it should.”
Layton is upset the City Council will have to act very quickly. Its members will likely have to vote on the rate hike next month. And Layton adds another rate hike will be needed next year.
