The Sequoyah County Water Association (SCWA) at its regular monthly meeting on Aug. 27, voted to increase water rates to its customers.

The board of directors reviewed several proposals before making this decision, according to a press release issued by SCWA.

The association reportedly serves 6,700 retail customers throughout Sequoyah County. In addition, they provide wholesale water to the towns of Vian, Muldrow and Sequoyah County Rural Water District No. 5.

Below is a comparison of old and new rates:

Old rates

$45 for the first 2,000 gallons $5.65 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,000 gallons $5.80 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,000 gallons $6.10 per 1,000 gallons for the next 4,000 gallons $6.30 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,500 gallons $6.55 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,500 gallons $6.85 per 1,000 gallons for the next 5,000 gallons $7.20 per 1,000 gallons for all 1,000 gallons over 20,000 gallons Wholesale rate – $3.20 to 3.50 per 1,000 gallons

New rates

$45 for the first 1,000 gallons $8.25 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,000 gallons $8.75 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,000 gallons $9.25 per 1,000 gallons for the next 4,000 gallons $9.75 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,500 gallons $10.25 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,500 gallons $10.75 per 1,000 gallons for the next 5,000 gallons $11 per 1,000 gallons for all 1,000 gallons over 19,000 gallons Wholesale rate – $7 per 1,000 gallons SCWA’s last rate increase was in April 2019. There are several factors that necessitated this rate increase that will be in effect with the September bills, those being:

• SCWA purchases wholesale water from Van Buren Municipal Utilities and they increased their price from $3.20 per 1,000 gallons to $4.70 per 1,000 gallons on Aug. 1. In addition, Van Buren has indicated that they will further increase the rate to $6.80 per 1,000 gallons on Jan. 1, 2025.

• Since it has been over five years since SCWA implemented a rate increase, the cost of operations (fuel, electricity, pipe, pumps, motors and labor) has increased drastically.

The SCWA endeavors to provide safe drinking water to its customers in the most effective and efficient means possible, and in order to continue to do so, it was necessary to increase water rates.

Other systems in the area, such as Sequoyah County Rural Water District No. 7 at Muldrow, has recently implemented a rate increase as well.