Crested Butte water and sewer fees to increase

Debate over whether to phase in an increase or do it all at once

The amount you pay to flush your toilet or grab a drink of water from the kitchen sink is going up for people living in Crested Butte. How much more you will pay for monthly water and sewer fees is still up in the air as the town works on its 2009 budget.

Right now the water and sewer bill for most single-family residences in town is $44 a month. Of that, $26.50 goes to the sewer end of things and $17.50 to water. Crested Butte public works director Rodney Due said as the water and sewer system gets older, the infrastructure needs replacing and maintenance needs to be stepped up. For example, he said, a new clarifier at the wastewater treatment plant will cost the town $1.5 million next year.
“Just like everywhere across the nation, infrastructure in the town is getting old and you eventually have to replace it,” Due said. “At one time in town, tap fees from new construction were used primarily for capital costs like replacing the clarifier. But the town is seeing fewer tap fees come in right now, so there isn’t much choice on where else to raise the money. Service fees will have to go up.”
Due thinks fees need to go up in the neighborhood of 20 percent. The discussion at town hall is whether to raise the fees all at once or phase in an increase over several years. The decision will ultimately come to the Town Council.
According to the town finance department, Crested Butte’s water and sewer fees are low compared to Mt. Crested Butte and Crested Butte South. On a comparable level, Crested Butte’s sewer fee is $26.50 a month while Mt. Crested Butte charges about $32 a month and Crested Butte South about $33 a month. Water fees are similar, with Crested Butte coming in at $17.50 a month, Mt. Crested Butte at about $21 a month for the same 8,000 gallons, and Crested Butte South charging about $30.
Due wants to step up preventive maintenance of the Crested Butte water and sewer systems, which he says is difficult given the department’s manpower and aging system. “We are just trying to keep up,” he explained. “Between leaks and grease in the pipes and emergencies, we are maxed out. Even replacing the clarifier just keeps us at the status quo.”
 “We are finding ways to save the town money,” Due continued. “We significantly cut the cost of the new clarifier and we are cross-training the guys in the public works department. We are doing a lot of the projects ourselves that we used to contract out. The bottom line is that we aren’t in any worse shape than a lot of places across the country. It’s just time we have to get on top of it.”
The Crested Butte Town Council will be discussing how much to raise the rates along with other budget matters for the next month. The public is encouraged to attend the budget work sessions or give input to members of the council.