Customers to See Increase in January 2025
The Wessington Springs City Council took action in its regular monthly meeting held November 4 to begin surcharges next month for two major water main and sewer line replacement projects on College Avenue and 2nd Street. The surcharges were approved in the March 2024 meeting and this month, the council voted to begin with the new surcharges on utility bills in December, to be paid in January 2025. The surcharges will increase city utility by a total of $10.45.
Funding for the $1,013,646.27 College Avenue project is made up of a grant from DANR and State Revolving Funding (SRF) Loan and Consolidated Loan, also through DANR. While the grant portion of the project does not need to be repaid, the SRF loan, a state program established to provide municipalities with low interest loans for drinking water and sewer projects, will be repaid through a $5.35 drinking water surcharge and a $2.30 sewer surcharge, to begin with the December 2024 billing paid in January of 2025.
Funding for the $1,607,000 2nd Street project is comprised of a Community Access Grant though the SDDOT, a SRF Grant, $162,911 in local American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, a SRF loan and funds from the city’s 2nd Penny fund. Like the College Avenue project, the grant portion of the project does not need to be repaid and the SRF loan, a state program established to provide municipalities with low interest loans for drinking water and sewer projects, will be repaid through a $1.30 drinking water surcharge and a $1.50 sewer surcharge.
The contractor for the 2nd Streetproject,H&WContracting, was delayed and did not meet the original schedule for 2024. Construction is set to begin in April 2025.