Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RALPH ANSAMI
As the Ironwood City Commission was reviewing utility increases this week, a rate comparison chart of area communities was presented.
It shows Wakefield customers pay the lowest sewer-water bills on the Gogebic Range, while Ironwood Township is on the high end.
Ironwood utilities director Bob Tervonen presented the 2015 comparisons that show Wakefield at $75 per month, by far the lowest rate locally.
Second was Ramsay at $99, followed by Ironwood at $100, Bessemer, $107; Hurley, $112, and Ironwood Township, $118.
The rates are for an average residence and may vary from house to house.
Ironwood commissioners raised the city’s water rate for fiscal year 2015-’16 by 1.5 percent and the sewage bill by 2 percent.
Tervonen said the 1.5 percent water rate increase approved Monday is needed just to maintain current operations. He said the average monthly water bill of 5 cubic feet will increase from $42.59 to $43.23 per month, or 64 cents.
To plan for future water system improvements, he said a series of rate increases will need to be considered in the future.
Commissioners considered a 4.5 percent water rate increase, but opted for the 1.5 percent instead.
Tervonen noted Ironwood’s water-sewer system is nearing the century mark, dating to 1923.
He produced some patched-up, rusted-out pipes to show the “band-aid” approach that has been taken over the years in making repairs.
Commissioners were told that while the system was built for a population of 17,000, it now serves only 5,200 people.
