By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Proposed water rate hikes in the City of Bowie died from a lack of council action as there were questions on the need for such large hikes.
There was lengthy debate at last week’s city council session as City Manager Bert Cunningham once more presented two sets of rate hike proposals which he said are needed to help make the water department self-sustaining and to plan for the mandated purchase of a new raw water pump.
The rate proposals were first offered to the council back in early December, but they returned for consideration at the Jan. 27 meeting. Cunningham explained just like citizen’s costs have increased in the past year, the city’s costs have risen substantially causing the water department to consistently lose money. Back in 2018 the water rates were inadequate to rising costs so the city increased them by 4% to pay for inflated costs of treating water, maintenance of the plant and replacing old lines throughout the city.
In addition to those costs, no new funds have been added to the infrastructure fund, which is used to help fund larger projects in the city. In his presentation back in December the manager said in fiscal 2021-22 the average revenue was $179,769.04 and expenses were $115,107.29 resulting in an average profit of $64,661.75.
In 2022-23 revenue dropped to $173,977.46 with expenses at $150,370.78. Average profit came in at $23,606.68. And in 2023-24 revenue is at $165,176.61 with expenses at $174,391.75 giving up an average loss of $1,307.94 a month, losing money in each of the last five months. In a new update Cunningham told the council in the first two months of this year the water department has lost $102,000.

Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.