PROVO, Utah — Mayor Michelle Kaufusi has submitted a change to her proposal to introduce a tiered water rate system.
At Tuesday's meeting of the Provo City Council, Mayor Kaufusi introduced a revised version of her proposed budget, reducing the amount of money that would be charged to the top tier of water users. Initially, the city proposed what could be an 18% increase for the highest tier of water users (those who use the most). After pushback, she reduced that to nearly 10%.
Mayor Kaufusi called it a "compromise" proposal. She noted that it also ensures that infrastructure gets paid for, accounting for inflation pressures.
"Residents, it's important to know that the state has made it clear, including through legislation, that cities need to implement tiered water rates. Different rates for different amounts of water," the mayor said, referencing a bill that passed the legislature this year designed to force conservation.
"The rates are supposed to encourage people to use less water."
The Provo City Council will dive into Mayor Kaufusi's entire budget, including the rates, over the next month. Public hearings on the budget are scheduled for June.
This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake—and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. Read all of our stories at greatsaltlakenews.org.
