ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Board of Aldermen on Friday passed a historic water rate hike bill. It now heads to the desk of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, who said she intends to sign it.
Once signed, Board Bill 49 would be one of the largest water rate increases ever for city residents.
This all comes after almost a domino effect of water main breaks across St. Louis, with the city seeing nearly 20 main breaks in the past few weeks.
"It’s been 13 years since the Board of Aldermen last adjusted our water rates, and the City of St. Louis could not afford to kick the can down the road any further," Jones said in a Friday statement. "A new board, under new leadership, took the difficult but important step of investing in our water system now and into the future. These rates will allow the water division to maintain crucial day-to-day operations. In the long-term, it will help our city upgrade our aging infrastructure and access federal resources to ensure St. Louisans for generations to come continue to enjoy safe, clean drinking water.
Leaders continue to blame all of this on the city's failing infrastructure. That's why they are pushing to raise the water rates by a historic 40%. Ward 1 Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer proposed the rate increase.
“We are in a situation where we haven't had a rate increase for over a decade. Our water division desperately needs the funds to maintain services that it's providing so we can have safe, reliable drinking water in the city of St. Louis," Schweitzer said last week when the bill was being debated.
City leaders said this will help cover the $400 million it will cost to fix the city's water infrastructure long-term.
The city hasn't raised the water rates in more than a decade. Schweitzer said the city's water division "desperately" needs the funds.
Residents' bills could increase starting in July. The city sends out water bills quarterly, so residents would not see the increase until October.
Water rates would increase another $10 per month starting in January.