Juneau utility officials recommend rate hikes

Juneau utility officials are recommending additional water and sewer rate increases as the next incremental rate rise takes effect this summer.

KTOO Public Media reports Juneau's Utility Advisory Board recommended raising sewer rates by an additional 2.5 percent annually for the next five years.

The majority of board members endorsed the rate increase, but some members wrote a minority report to urge the Juneau Assembly to pause.

Board member Kevin Buckland co-authored the report. He says that while 2.5 percent may not seem like a lot, it represents a more than 66 percent increase in rates since 2015.

The assembly had approved incremental increases of 6.5 percent for water and 8 percent for sewer in 2014. The assembly is expected to review the utility rates this summer.