Utility

Water Department

 

Consumer Confidence Report 2020
Consumer Confidence Report 2021
Consumer Confidence Report 2022
CCR 2023

Contacts

Billing and Rates

 

The City of Gillett Utility Department staff read meters around the 15th of every month.  Bills are processed and mailed out the last working day of the month.  Payment is due by the 20th of the following month.  Payment may be mailed to City Hall, 150 N. McKenzie Avenue or made in person at City Hall, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.  Payments may also be put in the drop box at the northwest corner of City Hall.  This box is emptied on a daily basis.

Disconnect notices are sent out for any account with an unpaid balance after the 20th of the month.  If the payment is not received in full within the ten days allowed, the service will be disconnected and will remain disconnected until payment is received in full.

Automatic Payment is now available

• Save time – fewer checks to write.
• Helps meet your commitment in a convenient manner even if you’re out of town.
• No lost or misplaced statements, your payment is always on time.
• Saves postage
• Easy to sign up for, easy to cancel, no late charges.

If interested, stop in or call City Hall to obtain the simple form to apply. Once completed, return the form to the City Clerk and your future payments will be deducted automatically from either your checking or savings, whichever you choose.

---

Utility Information:

The Gillett Utility was formed in 1925 for the establishment of water and sewer services for the city of Gillett residents. Many things from when the utility started to present day have changed tremendously over the years to help improve water quality and sewage treatment. The water side of the utility consists of 17 miles of underground water mains that consist of 6 inch to 12 inch mains, 540 water main valves, 126 fire hydrants, 3 well stations, 3 reservoirs, 712 customer water services and shutoffs, and a 300,000 gal water tower. The sewer side consists of 19 miles of underground sewer lines that range from 4 inches to 15 inches, over 100 sewer manholes, 1 lift station, and 1 wastewater plant for sewage treatment.

There has been some misunderstanding on how the water and sewer utility is funded and how much it costs to run it. This utility does not use any city funds (tax money) to maintain all of its assets. The revenue from water bills paid by tax payers is used to maintain, replace, upgrade, and reconstruct everything that the utility owns. The water rates are set by the state of Wisconsin (PSC), which is the public service commission, and the sewer rates are regulated by the utility board. The utility has very little say in how the water rates are set. However, these rates are necessary for the maintenance of the water system, the components attached to it, and depreciation of utility assets. Even the utility must pay taxes every year on all its assets just like everyone else; the taxes average $80,000 to $100,000 each year dependent on improvements. The employees of the utility are required to follow state and DNR rules and regulations on water quality and distribution, sewer treatment and discharge. The water and sewer operators are required to have and maintain a water and sewer license structured for their community.

Listed are a few of big expenses the utility incurs. Anytime water and sewer lines need to be replaced it costs $150.00 per foot for each line, and for every waterline break, it costs $3,000-$5,000 to repair it; we typically average 3-5 waterline breaks per year. When utility has to rehabilitate the wells that produce the water we bathe with and drink, that rehabilitation costs an average of about $50,000 per well. Another example of an expenditure is when the water tower was painted in 2010, it cost $165,000 for that job. The water tower is due to be painted inside and outside in 2025 and is estimated to be a total of $225,000 for the job. The pumps that push the sewage to the plant every 15 minutes of every day cost $10,000 each and we have 3. These are only a few things with large costs, this doesn’t include the electric motors, other pumps, chemicals, buildings, testing, valves, meters, blowers, etc. that need to be maintained as well. Also remember that there is always water, sewage, pumps, and electric motors running every minute of the day for as long as the utility exists, they never stop. Yes, it’s relatively expensive to run a water/sewer utility as it is expensive to run a household or business, that’s why water rates are where they are today. The utility understands that the elderly and all families are on fixed incomes and struggle to afford water and sewer, if there was an answer to cure this all utilities would follow it but, the costs to maintain a utility is high as we as humans need water and a way to rid our waste. We take for granted these amenities that we use everyday our whole life, water and waste disposal have an everyday expense in our lives’ we need it and it comes with a price. Sometimes we get wrapped up in everyday life occurrences and forget important things that might matter,  so when the things we really need rise to meet the expense to provide them think of the other luxury’s we have should we really complain.

My door is always open for anyone that wants to talk about the utility and its workings. Please contact city hall to schedule an appointment.

Explanation of charges on your water/sewer bill:

Water fixed meter charge—used to maintain, test, or replace portion of meters

Public fire protection—not used for fire department; used for maintenance, replacement of hydrants, and waterlines

Water usage—used for well pumps and their components, chemicals, buildings, and taxes

Sewer fixed meter charge—used to maintain, test, or replace portion of meters

Sewer rehab fee—used to help make the payment of the sewage plant upgrade 2.5 million cost and also contribute to the replacement cost fund

Sewer charge—used for the maintenance of the sewer lines, replacement of lines, and maintenance of sewage plant

Thank You,

Ron Anderson, Utility Operator

Following is a summary of current water rates
that became effective September 17, 2024

Monthly Service Charge:
5/8 3/4 1 1 1/4 1 1/2 2	inch meter – $7.29 inch meter – $7.29 inch meter – $14.57 inch meter – $21.86 inch meter – $29.15 inch meter – $43.72	3 4 6 8 10 12	inch meter – $79.12 inch meter – $121.80 inch meter – $174.89 inch meter – $235.27 inch meter – $295.64 inch meter – $356.02
Plus volume charge: $3.54 per 1,000 gallons Monthly Extra meter charge:
5/8 3/4 1	inch meter – $3.50 inch meter – $3.50 inch meter – $7.00	1 1/4 1 1/2 2	inch meter – $10.50 inch meter – $14.00 inch meter – $21.00
Following is a summary of current sewer rates that became effective of January 1, 2018   Monthly Service Charge:
5/8 3/4 1 1 1/2	inch meter – $28.00 inch meter – $28.00 inch meter – $62.50 inch meter – $107.50	2 3 4	2 inch meter – $171.50 3 inch meter – $2671.00 4 inch meter – $524.00
Plus volume charge: $5.75/thousand gallons used each month
Sewer Rehabilitation rate $20.00
Special Billing Charge for readings outside normal billing $10.00