Village Board passes 13 cent water rate increase
by JILL SCHMELZER Reporter

The Williamsville Village Board passed a 13-cent water rate hike for 2007 during its meeting on Monday.

The Erie County Water Authority had passed an 11-cent increase due to future capital projects, including water line updates and generator improvements.

For approximately the past eight years, the Village Board has passed the water rate increases as the Water Authority presented them. However, this year, because Williamsville is on its own water system, a few obstacles prompted the board to raise the rate another 2 cents on top of the county increase.

“It’s something I wish we didn’t have to do, but unfortunately we have to go with the Water Authority,” Trustee Brian Geary said.

This year, village officials were informed they could no longer gain profit from Lehn Springs District No. 8, losing $5,000 net they had obtained in the past, because the system is owned and maintained by the county.

The village also has contractual obligations such as payroll that needs to be compensated for.

The rates will be $4.23 per 1,000 gallons inside the village and $5.93 per 1,000 outside the village. The minimum bill a household will pay is $16.92 per 0 to 4,000 gallons, and Williamsville Central School District will pay $5.29 per 1,000 gallons.

“Erie County is it,” Geary said, noting there aren’t other options for water like there are for electric and gas utilities.

Geary said he would like to explore an idea Trustee Richard

Sweeney had suggested in the past about looking into buying water

Harlem Road

from a town that has its own waste water treatment plant — Tonawanda, for example.

“What’s stopping us from buying our water from them?” Geary asked, noting that the Erie County Water Authority is getting larger and larger and has the potential to continue raising the water rate.

“They are sitting on a large surplus,” Geary said. “I would hate to see another water rate increase come through to us, and their surplus to get bigger.”

e-mail: JSchmelzer@beenews.com