Duncan Public Utilities Authority talks water usage, approves increase

Jan. 19—The Duncan Public Utilities Authority approved consent agenda items pertaining to the annual consumer price index (CPI) increase for water and sanitary sewer services in its first regular meeting of the 2023 year.

During the meeting, Mayor Robert Armstrong broke down percentages for the water and sanitary sewer services with prices effective January 2023 and for the lake lot leases, effective January 2023.

Ward 3 City Councilwoman Patty Wininger asked how they would notify the lease holders.

City Manager Kimberly Meek confirmed lease holders will get a letter of notification.

Armstrong said when increases are made at the city for charging for water and sanitary services, it isn't taken lightly.

"Looking at what's going on in our economy and what's coming down the line can sure cause some anxiety," he said.

Armstrong said he wanted to share a few things they are seeing on their side of the city and the increases they've had in the past year.

"The chemicals used in treating our water have gone up substantially," he said. "Liquid chlorine's gone up 36%, liquid sodium hydroxide's gone up 151%, polyphosphate liquid has gone up 264%."

Armstrong continued to break down the costs of water line pipe as well.

"The cost of us providing safe and good drinking water to community has gone up dramatically in the last year on our end, as well as across the nation," he said. "Even the cost on water lines on pipe has gone up on average almost 42% in the last year — if we can even find a lot of it."

According to Armstrong, with the increases the city is seeing, the cost of providing the services will need to change.

"It's not something we take lightly," he said. "It's not something that we just do off the cuff, it's something that we've been looking at for a very long time, trying to be diligent in how we go about it — make sure that we've got good services to our community and at the most affordable rate that we can."

The board approved the consent agenda with a 5-0 vote.

Next, the board opened discussion to approve the price increase on the previously approved purchase of 2,500 Radio-Read Elster Meters from Honeywell for $356,515.50 to include an estimated tariff increase.

Meek said the purchase of the meters will be for a system-wide use as residential meters and was approved on July 26, 2022.

"The meters must be Elster Brand Meters to work with our wireless meter reading system," she said. "The meters are for new accounts, stock, non-radio read meter replacements and will be deployed by staff in an expedited manner."

Meek said the house meters were originally $115 each for a total of $287,500.

"At the time we ordered, there was an unavoidable import tariff of $25,012.50," she said. "There has been a price increase to $131.10 each and the import tariff is still applicable and could increase."

Meek recommended the board approve the increase.

The board approved the increase with a 4-1 vote with Fischer, Hayes, Wininger, Peters for the increase and Mayor Armstrong against the increase.

In other news, the board approved:

—Pay request six to Freese and Nichols for $69,175.67 for a water line project for Fiscal Year 2022.

—Pay request 13 to Portland Utilities Construction Co., LLC for $125,771.33 for services with the sanitary sewer rehabilitation project.

—Pay request 26 to Tetra Tech, Inc. for $26,481.25 for services with the sewer rehabilitation design phase 1 project.

—Pay request 27 to Tetra Tech, Inc. for $2,280 for services with the sewer rehabilitation design phase 1 project.

—A water use agreement with Citation Oil and Gas Cooperation.

The next Duncan City Council meeting will take place at 5:15 p.m. on Jan. 24 in Duncan City Council Chambers, located inside the Duncan Police Department.