Water rates in Iola will be increased to make up a glaring shortfall in the city’s water fund budget.
But in a reversal of an earlier decision, Iola City Council members declined a proposal to decrease meter charges for electricity customers, which would have balanced out the water rate hikes so utility customers would not pay more each month.
Council members were unanimous in their vote for an across-the-board 18 percent hike in water rates, the first for Iolans since 2005.
That means the meter charge for water customers goes from $15 to $17.70 a month, while the cost…
Water rates raised to fix budget shortfall
