An extreme rate spike in home water bills is about the last thing anyone wants with the cost of everything else going up these days. It's a basic necessity, after all.

But the city of Palo said they had to do it, until residents complained about higher water rates, and they got lowered. It won't be quite that easy in the long-term, but that's what happened according to KCRG, after residents in attendance at a special meeting in the town gathered to air their concerns, about sticker shock over an extra several hundred dollars appearing on their water bills. According to one resident:

I can’t even sleep at night thinking about how I’m going to pay the rest of my bills after I pay this $692 water bill

The grievances were aired and listened to, as 30 people in attendance at the latest city council meeting watched the panel rescind two ordinances that put the higher water (and sewer) rates in place.

Despite the rates being lowered to the benefit of residents, the issue that caused the increase still apparently needs to be addressed. The systems are still running at a deficit. Part of that issue was addressed at a previous meeting when it was discovered several residents were actually being charged for more than what they use. These rate drops are only temporary as, in the interim, the council is working to fix their systems and decide a way keep rates low. Council member Angie Brekke stated:

From where we go from here then, I think we will schedule a workshop. We can maybe have a first reading drafted of a new ordinance.

The target date for that ordinance is said to be October.

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