Both the Water and Sewer Departments adopted budgets for the upcoming fiscal year that starts July 1 at their annual financial meetings on Monday, June 20. Both budgets anticipate increases in revenues from user fees, mainly as a result of increased usage throughout the year, but on the sewer side, a five-percent increase in rates also.The biggest change is to the rate structure itself. Just like the Block Island Power Company did a couple years ago, the water and sewer rates will incorporate additional tiers to reflect more accurately the flows throughout the season. For instance, sewer used to have four different rates based on the quarters of the calendar, with the highest rate for July, August, and September, and the lowest for January through March.Now, there will be a “winter” sewer rate that goes from November through April ($16.38 per 1,000 gallons). The rates then gradually rise through May ($22.93 per 1,000 gallons) and June ($39.31 per 1,000 gallons), peak for July and August ($55.69 per 1,000 gallons) and then gradually descend through September and October.On the water side, the structure is the same but the amounts are different, with the winter rate at $17.20 per 1,000
