HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WOWO) — On Tuesday evening in Huntington, city leaders held a public hearing to discuss a proposal that would raise water rates for residents within city limits.

According to Huntington Mayor Richard Strick, the average increase will be 75 cents per day for Huntington households.

That’s about $23 a month.

One woman said times are tough, and she has already had to pay more on other bills.

“When is it going to stop? You can’t take money from people that can’t afford it. I mean there’s single mothers out there that are barely eking by now and then they raise that [water bill], and it’s just going to get worse,” said Sharon Bartrom.

The reason for the proposal, as explained by Huntington’s weekly newsletter from the Mayor’s office, is to allow the city to rebuild outdated water treatment facilities.

“Once we do [pay], it never goes back down. The taxes never go back down, they just stay the same,” said Bartrom.

Following Tuesday’s public hearing and a first reading of the proposed water rate ordinance, City Council voted to advance the plan to build a new South Water Plant, according to our partners in news at 21ALIVE.

The second reading and final vote will be at the April 29th Council meeting.

This follows a 2023 price increase roughly translating to a $14 per month rise in wastewater/sewer charges for an average household, a rate adjustment of about 23.4 percent to fund the city’s “Long-Term Control Plan.”