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The Dewey Public Works Authority (DPWA) discussed utility rates and the possible need to increase them during their meeting on Monday night.

According to City Manager Kevin Trease, the last audit the DPWA saw pointed to the fact that its water utility is hurting. While raising water utilities was the main focus, Trease said wastewater utilities and sanitation rates need to come up as well.

Trease said the City of Dewey's utility costs for water is for maintaining the system and the water line breaks. He said the City of Dewey has an old water system throughout the community and keeping up with it has a cost.

As it stands now, Trease said their current water utility rate is $15.60, which includes the first 2,000 gallons. He said there charge per 1,000 gallons passed the first 2,000 gallons is $3.86.

The minimum base charge for wastewater utility is $10.25 plus $3.09 per 1,000 gallons of metered water. Trease said residential customers are billed for the average use of the months of November thru February. He said the average is what they're charged March thru October.

Then there is sanitation. Trease said the City of Dewey does twice a week trash pick-up for a current rate of $16.40. He said the average rate for trash pick-up in 2018 was $17.38 in Oklahoma, meaning Dewey has been way under average.

Above all, Trease said the City of Dewey needs to get in front of increasing the water utility rate as soon as possible. Trease said the wastewater and sanitation rates could see a gradual increase instead of an instant increase. He said they could raise the rates quarterly or once every six months, but it's all up to the DPWA.

The Dewey Public Works Authority did improve a slight increase in base rates for utilities in 2019.

Trease said he'll probably bring more information to the DPWA in their next meeting in mid-March. He said they may look to take action on increasing the utility rates for water, wastewater and sanitation in April.