Cape voters' choice: Stick with aging water system or pay more

Cape Girardeau city voters face a water rate increase on their Tuesday, Nov. 5, election ballot, and a "yes" or "no" decision could potentially have ripple effects for the coming years.

After years of water system deterioration, the city is facing $120 million in needed upgrades, officials say. Alliance Water Resources, which manages the municipal water system, has identified limitations to available gallons per day because of the deteriorating system and source water issues. At a City Council meeting Aug. 5, council members approved placing the water rate increase proposal before voters.

According to prior Southeast Missourian reporting, the City of Cape Girardeau's Public Works Department and Alliance Water Resources outlined years of improvements needed for the city's water system, including the Cape Rock water treatment plant and distribution system. The full range of improvements had a projected cost of $120,078,700, with the changes to the plant and distribution system scheduled for a timeline from 2024 to 2033 and beyond.

According to a May 7 Southeast Missourian article, council members agreed to fund the changing of the city's lime system and filter system but were not able to fund other needed improvements to the water system. Alliance Water Resources' local manager Jonathan Ridings was quoted as saying the needed improvements stem from changes in the city's source water, the city's continuing expansion and an aging infrastructure. In a May 29 article, Ridings said there was an "unknown" component that dissipates chlorine in the water. The replacement of the existing lime feed system was determined to be the best way to treat the water.

In the same article, Ridings said the city has had to use the Ramsey Branch water treatment plant for normal operations while it was intended to be used more for emergencies.

Public Works director Casey Brunke said in the May 7 article that the lime feed system and filter gallery had been identified as projects several years ago but there wasn't funding available at the time.

After a survey of the city's water rates was completed by Carl Brown, president of www.gettinggreatrates.com, and sent to Mayor Stacy Kinder, Brown recommended a "partial restructure" of the city's water rates at an Aug. 5 council meeting. According to the city's charter, the council can't raise the city's water rate more than 5% each year unless authorized by voter approval. Brown stated in the survey the restriction would leave "over $24 million” of unfunded improvements. In the same council meeting at which the survey was reviewed, council members voted to place the water rate increase measure on the ballot. The ballot measure would allow the city to increase the water rate beyond the charter's 5% only in that year.

"Everybody gets the same rate, 89% of all customers in the city will see an increase in their monthly bills ranging between $8.19 and $13.89 per month,” city finance director Lisa Mills said in the Aug. 6 Southeast Missourian article.

Ward 3 Councilman Nate Thomas said in the article that they wouldn't want a catastrophe such as the water problems seen in Flint, Michigan.

“We need to expand capacity at our water plant, but we also need to replace those high priority, deteriorating water mains before they randomly fail," Kinder stated in a City of Cape Girardeau newsletter.

According to City of Cape Girardeau voter education documents, the overall water system project costs include $9 million that the city has funded, $56 million for immediate needs including urgent plant improvements and high-priority water mains and $64 million beyond 2033 that include additional plant capacity and more distribution system improvements. The document states that if they don't invest now there are more water main breaks likely, boil-water advisories, water conservation orders and increased repair costs.

Voters may use a bill calculator provided by the City of Cape Girardeau to see what their water bill potentially looks like if the water rate increase passes: https://www.cityofcapegirardeau.org/news/whats_new/water_proposal_and_tours_/proposed_new_water_bill_calculator_v_o_t_e_2024.

The ballot language for the water rate increase reads:

"Shall the City of Cape Girardeau raise water rates and fees for the purpose of funding necessary improvements and maintenance of the water system such that during the current fiscal year the increase exceeds five(5) percent and shall Section 29-213 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, be amended establishing new water rates and fees effective January 1, 2025, resulting, based on current usage, in an increase in the current fiscal year ranging between $8.19 and $13.89 per month for 89% of water customers?"