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Destiny Remezas

When Christina Kuhns of Murphysboro opened her water bill this month, she got an unpleasant surprise.

"I usually pay $35 and it was $67," Kuhns said.

Kuhns is not alone. Everyone serviced by Murphysboro's Water Department will now have to pay more for their water.

The average residential increase is about $16 or $17 dollars per month, Mayor Ron Williams said.

"I don't like it," Williams said. "I pay water and sewer like everyone else."

However, the increase was necessary to help pay to build a new wastewater treatment facility.

The current facility, which was built in 1957, was updated in the 1980s and has lasted longer than expected.

"The old facility is just literally wore out," Williams said.

Fixing the old facility was sometimes a hassle because the city had to create new parts to replace broken ones that were no longer being made, Williams said.

He said the city had to step up and do something to improve the facility because the Environmental Protection Agency could eventually fine the city because of the shape of the wastewater treatment facility.

The new facility is not expected to be built for another two years. The city is still in the early stages of acquiring the property for the new plant, which will be located next to the old facility, Williams said.

"It's much newer technology and much more efficient than what we have now," Williams said.

The new treatment facility will be similar to Carbondale's wastewater facility, he said.

Even though the Murphysboro City Council passed the ordinance on April 28, many residents were still surprised at the increase.

Most of the residents who called the water department knew there was going to be an increase but did not expect it to be as much as it was, said Verdonna Otey, the water billing manager.

Kuhns, however, said everyone in the town who she talked to was unaware that this increase was taking place,

"They should have gave a better warning," Kuhns said.

Reporter Destiny Remezas can be reached at destiny_Remezas@dailyegyptian.com