BURNHAM - Burnham Borough Council voted Monday to adopt a sewer rate ordinance that will increase rates in the borough.
Sewer rates were determined to gradually increase pending the state-mandated upgrade of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Effective in October, the sewer rate ordinance will bill residential customers on a monthly basis, with quarterly billing remaining intact for commercial and industrial owners.
The rates are set to be $35 per month for residential customers, and $105 for up to 9,000 gallons used per quarter for commercial and industrial owners, with an added $8.25 per thousand gallons additionally used. The new sewer rate ordinance needed to be adopted in June to ensure July usage is under the new rate for commercial and industrial owners. New rates for residential customers will not take effect until the October billing period.
Sewer bills can be paid up to 20 days from the billing period at face value. There will be a 15 percent penalty for up to a month after the first 20 days of delinquent payment, a 10 percent for the second and a five percent for every month after the first two.
Solicitor Jeff Snook reminded the council that this may not be the last increase in rates. Future increased rates will depend upon grants and loans being awarded by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure and Investment Authority. The council will not receive word on the state of these awards until mid-August.
In other business, the council approved Noah Wise to begin collecting quotes for the purchase of a new bucket truck to serve the Burnham area.
The council meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month at the Burnham Borough Building.
