Sewer customers in Bristol Borough are not happy about a rate increase that has roughly doubled their bill.
Recent bills arrived to customers and featured $81 per quarter per unit for up to $10,000 gallons of water. Customers using more than 10,000 gallons saw increases in their bill, according to a letter authored by Bristol Borough Sewer Authority Superintendent Jim Dillon, who also works as the borough manager.
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The current rate is expected to be in place for at least the next three to five years.
The Bristol Borough Sewer Authority has not seen a rate hike since 2007, but needed to implement one recently due to rising costs. Dillion said the loss of Bristol Township as a customer, a 15 percent decline in usage, $6.9 million in needed capital improvements, increased regulations and an uptick in labor and material costs all led to the increase customers are seeing.
Dillon said in his letter that the Bristol Borough Sewer Authority has discussed selling the sewer system but have decided against it. He recalled when the borough sold their water system to Aqua Pennsylvania and ended up seeing increases.
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Bristol Borough customers pay less than residents in Bristol Township, Lower Makefield, Northampton and Yardley, Dillion pointed out in his letter.
A public meeting on the rate increase will be held Wednesday, February 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the borough hall on Pond Street.
