The Cleveland Utilities headquarters is in Cleveland, Tenn.CLEVELAND, Tenn. – An “aggressive” plan to reduce the amount of stormwater getting in and sewage getting out of the city wastewater system might require annual rate increases over the next 10 years, officials say.
Cleveland Utilities recently presented city leaders with a 10-year plan for rehabilitating the system called SCOPE-10 for “Strategic Commitment to Protect the Environment.”
The program is intended to reduce unwanted water, known as inflow and infiltration, into the city sewer system. The problem typically is caused by damaged pipes and manholes or illegal downspout taps, which can flood the system with stormwater.
The SCOPE-10 plans calls for gradual wastewater rate increases, officials said. The increases would be 4 to 5 percent some years and none in others, said Ken Webb, vice president of the utility’s financial division.
He said the most aggressive sewer rehabilitation plan would require an average rate increase of 2.8 percent each year for 10 years.