Dierks City Council reviews sewer water rate study

Monday night, the Dierks City Council reviewed the recent sewer rate study in connection with the city’s upcoming sewer grant project.

Council members voted to hire A.L. Franks as the city’s engineer and the law firm of Friday, Aldridge and Clark approved the bond amount for the project.

Dierks will begin a sewer upgrade project in 2025. The city received a grant totaling $4.7 million. Of that, the City of Dierks will pay back $1.1 million over the next 20 years.

The sewer rate study showed sewer rates would need to be increased to ensure the city’s ability to repay the loan amount. Currently, The sewer rate is $17 for the first 1,000 gallons and $3.60 for each additional 1,000 gallons. The proposed increase was to $30.60 for the first thousand gallons and $5.31 for each additional thousand. The study also recommended an additional increase of 3 percent each year beginning in 2026.

However, the council voted to approve an increase to $23.80 for the first thousand and $4.45 for each additional thousand gallons effective immediately and an increase to $30.60 for the first thousand and $5.31 per additional thousand in January of 2025.