SAN BENITO — Residents here will see bigger monthly service bills.
Earlier this week, city commissioners amended an ordinance setting slightly higher garbage rates.
A hike in the Consumer Price Index has led Republic Services, the company that collects the city’s garbage, to pass down a 3.46 percent increase to the city.
Now, the city is increasing its monthly residential single-family garbage collection rate from $20.34 to $21.04, according to the amended ordinance.
Meanwhile, the monthly multi-unit rate and the commercial rate are increasing from $39.24 to $40.60.
Under the amended ordinance, commercial rates are increasing based on the size of the garbage bin and the frequency of garbage pick-up.
According to the amended ordinance, rates are increasing from as little as $52.31 to $54.12 for a two-yard bin picked up once a week to as much as $1,215.96 to $1,258.03 for an eight-yard bin picked up six times a week.
The rate hike tacks additional increases to some of the Rio Grande Valley’s biggest monthly service bills.
For years, the city’s residents have faced some of the region’s highest water bills.
In 2004, the city began increasing its base water and sewer rates to help pay for utility improvements, including a $17.7 million water plant, a $13 million sewer plant and a $1.6 million water tower.
Now, the city’s base water rate stands at $20.59 for as much as 2,000 gallons while the sewer rate is $29.09 for up to 2,000 gallons.
The monthly bills will include the new garbage pick-up rate.
– Residential single-family rate — $20.34 to $21.04
– Multi-unit rate — $39.24 to $40.60
– Commercial rate — $39.24 to $40.60
