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Industries brace for sewage rate increase
(by Sue Reid - June 09, 2010)
Industries brace for sewage rate increase
By SUE REID
Solon City Council's public works committee agreed to prepare legislation last week to accept industrial surcharge rate increases proposed by the sewage treatment department.
Paul Solanics, director of the city's sewage treatment plant, told the committee that the plant administers an industrial waste surcharge program designed to recover costs associated with treatment of above-normal strength waste water.
"It is the responsibility of the water-reclamation director to review treatment costs on a yearly basis and prepare recommendations for adjustment to industrial surcharge rates," Mr. Solanics said. The results of his review indicates costs for treatment have risen beyond the existing rates necessitating the proposed rate increases, he said.
The last increase in the surcharge rate was in 2007, Mr. Solanics said.
"We have tried to hold off for the past couple of years," he said, "but it's the cost of doing business in today's economy. We have to adjust the rates. It's what it costs us to treat the waste."
Mr. Solanics said he is sensitive that everyone is facing tough times. He has contacted the "major players," he said, including the most affected industries, which are L'Oreal on Carter Street and Nestle's frozen food plant on Harper Road, and has offered to meet and discuss these changes with them.
The rate change will result in an 11.8 percent increase in the surcharges currently collected, Stan Smith, monitoring division manager of the plant, told the committee.
Currently, the plant receives $939,000 in surcharges annually, with the change resulting in $1.05 million that can be collected. Those are estimated figures, Mr. Solanics said.
Nestle represents 85 percent of the surcharge program, Mr. Smith said, with its cost going from $791,000 to $885,000.
"These dollars collected are based on a formula of strength and volume," Public Works Director James S. Stanek said.
For Nestle, which has worked to reduce water usage, the concentrations of its waste have remained the same, Mr. Solanics said.
Mr. Smith told the committee that Solon's surcharge rate is on par if not lower in relation to other areas.
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