- Eaton Rapids residents are pushing back against city officials when it comes to their utilities.
- Electricity isn't the only thing going up you can add water on that list as well.
- Watch the video above to see residents and city leaders reaction.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Eaton Rapids residents are pushing back against city officials when it comes to their utilities.
"It takes a lot more out of the budget, I was paying 100 now I pay 150 a month," Eaton Rapids native Kraig Orr said.
Eaton Rapids native Kraig Orr has been in the town his whole life and for the first time he feels blindsided by the city.
"I was kind of upset, cause there was no for warning or nothing I had to call the city to find out what was going on,"
Kraig tells me with the recent increase in utilities, it's been a roadblock for him and his family and wonders why the city is doing this.
"100 or 200 dollars a month some pay more for electrical or water if they got a bigger family, but if there is 2,000 people and they charge 200 a household it's a lot of money the city is bringing in,"
According to Eaton Rapids mayor Pam Colestock the city has over $4 million in upgrades needed to the waste water infrastructure. They received a grant for $2 million but they have to pay the rest which is why residents see the increase the water and sewer rates dating back to July.
Electricity isn't the only thing going up you can add water on that list as well Eaton Rapids public works & utilities director rob pierce wants the residents to be patient because change is coming soon.
"First of all you probably see the rates going up because we are in the middle of a grant, we just got approved from the CWRSO a state revolving fund grant for improvements for the state water treatment plant,"
"So that's probable why they've seen the recent spikes in that, so we can make those improvements to guarantee and ensure the resilience of that utility,"
In the short term their are ways to cut down on your bill including a weatherization assistance program. Which helps low income residents weatherize there homes to become more energy efficient. Pam Colestock tells me the city sent out notices regarding the electric rate decrease in 2021 and the water rate increase in July 2023.
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