City Of Bourbon Raises Water Rate

The Bourbon City Council on Oct. 24 voted to raise the water rate.

Council members approved a 10 cent per 1,000 gallon increase, which was the first time water rates have been hiked since September 2021.

The ordinance will raise the average 5,000 gallon user’s bill by $1.00 per month and will generate approximately $5,000 per year.

Bourbon raised the rate to keep up with the costs of operation.

According to the ordinance, the basic cost of water in Bourbon is:

$7.10 for the first 1,000 gallons;

$5.90 for the next 2,000 gallons;

$5.36 for the next 2,000 gallons;

$5.03 for the next 5,000 gallons;

$4.82 for the next 30,000 gallons; and,

$4.62 for everything over 40,000 gallons.

A general assessment fee of $17.25 is installed for users of water and/or sewer outside the city limits. 

The ordinance goes into effect for the Nov. 1, 2023 billing date. It was approved by a 3-0 vote, with Ward 2 Alderwoman Sonya Sewald being absent.

The city budgeted $285,760 for the water department for fiscal year 2023-24.

Bourbon has had to make increases to both water and sewer in the last two years to meet the ongoing demands. In 2021, the city raised the sewer rate to help pay for the financing of a new UV disinfectant system.