Stuff liberals run - Municipal Water systems

Residents in eastern Washtenaw County will soon see higher water bills, and the director of the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority says the area's declining industrial base is partly to blame.

The Detroit Water and Sewer Department increased YCUA's water rates by 18.6 percent this year, which is then partially passed on to customers.

YCUA Director Larry Thomas attributed half of that figure to the area’s declining industrial base.

“That’s really because of changes in our usage patterns,” Thomas said.

Historically, water rate increases passed on from Detroit have largely resulted from improvements to the infrastructure. Thomas said new management arrived in Detroit roughly 15 years ago and began making needed infrastructure updates. Prior to that, rates were relatively low because Detroit wasn’t fully maintaining its infrastructure, he said.

From 2001 to 2004, rates increased at an average 15 percent annually. From 2004 to 2008, increases were much lower, and after YCUA renegotiated its contract with Detroit in 2008, rates dropped by 7.1 percent.

But in the last two years, the rate increases have doubled to 9.6 percent in 2009 and 18.6 percent this year.

Only in liberal economies do you see a situation where demand goes down and prices go up.......


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