Sewer Projects Mean Higher Bills In Ottawa

Sewer bills are going up in Ottawa nearly 35 percent and you can mostly blame the feds for that.

The city council is looking at raising water and sewer bills by nearly 16 bucks a month starting in September.  Public Property Commissioner Dan Aussem says they need about 15 million dollars to separate their storm and sanitary sewers or else face fines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  The sewer and water bill increase will generate about a million dollars a year.

Mayor Bob Eschbach says he’s not excited about the significant rate increase but they’re still on the lower end for water and sewer bills.  According to his numbers, Streator, Marseilles, La Salle and Princeton all still charge more for sewer and water.

The council raised sewer bills last year by over two dollars a month.