HOAGLAND, Ind. (WOWO): Residents in Hoagland are experiencing sticker shock over their upcoming sewer bills.

Service rates for Hoagland homeowners will go up by 60% soon. The Allen County Sewer District says it’s part of a plan to raise sewer rates there to match the rest of the district.

Resident Doug Hidgon tells our Partners in News at ABC 21 the County needs to do a better job of explaining why:

“We need to get more information out to the public, the homeowners who are going to have to pay this, exactly what’s going on.”

The County says they held public meetings and sent out mailers about the hike.

The move comes right after Fort Wayne and the County made a deal to use the city’s water treatment center instead of the one in Hoagland, but officials say that had nothing to do with the increase.