NEWMAN LAKE, Wash. — Water is one of the most vital resources for everyday life, but those in Newman Lake will soon have to pay a lot more for it.
“It is going to be difficult, it’ll be difficult for everybody who lives out here,” said Bill Jackman, a Moab Irrigation District customer.
On Friday, Moab Irrigation District 20 approved a plan to raise rates by 45%. The base rate for one acre of land is a little over $133 a year. With the increase, that will go up to almost $200.
Many who live in the affected area are farmers and own much more than one acre of land.
“I farm out here with other farmers, this is an irrigation district,” Jackman said.
One woman told 4 News Now that she knows a few friends who will have to sell their property because of the increase.
There are a few reasons, however, why Moab Irrigation District had to raise rates. One of the main reasons being inflation, but another big reason was the fact that many people do not pay their water bills.
“There is a large percentage of delinquencies that we have, which is another problem for a small district,” Moab Irrigation District Board of Directors Chair Jerry Neff said.
For many residents, the lack of communication is what frustrates them the most.
“We go to a meeting and we are talked to. They have not provided in a transparent fashion their budget, their past budget or their proposed budget,” Jackman said.
Moving forward, the board said it wants to improve its communication and re-evaluate, so it is in a different position next year.
“We want to do a rate study to justify what the district needs,” Neff said.
Until then, Newman Lake residents will have to deal with the steep increase starting in the new year.
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