Water use rates in the City of Wayland will be increased if the City Council Aug. 19 agrees to adopt an ordinance.

The council had a public hearing Monday night on rate increases, including a presentation by City Manager Josh Eggleston explain why it has to be done.

The city manager said the last time rates were increased was in 2010, which has resulted in a significant drop in revenue. He added that if the city had a crisis in its water supply, it would have less than $500,000 in reserve funds, which would be woefully inadequate to pay for repairs or replacement.

The city’s base rate for all these years was $7.75 per month for light users. The average rate is $10.50 per household per month.

Under the four-year plan proposed for 2,000-gallon customers, rates would go up to $11.71 this year, $15.50 in 2020, $20 in 2021 and $21 in the fourth year.

For average customers using 4,500 gallons at $16.76, the monthly rates would be $21.75 this year, $25.38 in 2020, $27.50 in 2021 and $28.50 in the fourth year.

Higher rates would be applied to heavier users, such as industries and businesses.

Noting the city has fallen behind in charging for water, Eggleston maintained, “We can’t fix everything in one or two years, so we’re looking at a four-year plan.

The lowest rates are for three-quarter inch mains, the highest are for two-inch mains.

“We want to avoid a sticker shock increase,” the city manager said. “And automatic increases (in years afterward) would depoliticize the process.”

Eggleston said if the city would have imposed 3 percent increases annually since 2010, it would have resulted in $3.5 million more in revenue.

He said it is virtually impossible to compare Wayland’s water rates with Plainwell, Otsego or Allegan because in all cases it would be apples to oranges.

However, he noted, “We are significantly lower than many other communities.”

The city held the first reading of the proposed ordinance after the hearing and will take up the second reading Aug. 19 for possible adoption.

In other business, council members were near unanimous in praise of the local Department of Public Works clearing fallen trees and debris from roadways during the July 20 storm.

Eggleston said the popular splash pad in the City Park was negatively impacted, but it’s back up and running.

Council members Joe Kramer and Jennifer Antel said new Main Street Director Julia Sturvist was decisive in handling the conditions caused by the weather in her first-ever event.

“She’s still working for us, isn’t she?” quipped Eggleston.