Village residents who use more than 10,000 gallons of water in a six-month billing cycle will see a slight increase in their water rates, according to a new local law adopted by the Village of Mineola Board of Trustees, acting as the village's board of water commissioners. The new law, adopted last Wednesday, following a public hearing came to a fruition as a result of an increase in maintenance fees that came as a result of state and county mandates and the need to renovate equipment, according to village officials who testified at the hearing.

For those residential (one family or two family) homes that use up to 10,000 gallons of water semiannually, the rate remains at $1 per 1,000 gallons of water consumed. Residents can therefore use 20,000 gallons of water annually without seeing an increase in water rate. This rate has stayed intact since 1989.

However, since the average usage in the village exceeds 20,000 gallons (10,000 semiannually) a year, most will be affected by the rate changes.

Residents consuming between 10,000 and 20,000 gallons per six-month period will see their rates jump $0.15 per 1,000 gallons of consumption, from $1.35 per 1,000 gallons to $1.50.

Residents who consume between 20,000 and 30,000 gallons per six-month period will see their rates increase $0.25 per 1,000 gallons, from $1.75 to $2 per 1,000 gallons.

For residents who consume between 30,000 and 40,000 gallons per six-month period, rates will increase $0.25 per 1,000 gallons, from $2 to $2.25 per 1,000 gallons.

For residents who consume above 40,000 per six-month period, the current rate is $2.25. However, with the amendment to the water rates, residents who consume between 40,000 gallons and 75,000 gallons per six-month period will pay $2.50 per 1,000 gallons, an increase of $.25.

With the new law amendment, the board of water commissioners instituted a new rate for those who use over 75,000 per six-month period. The rate is $2.75 per 1,000 gallons as opposed to the current rate - $2.25 per 1,000 gallons.

For other users such as businesses, except for nonprofit organizations, rates have also changed as a result of the new law. For those who use between 0 and 20,000 gallons, the cost will be $1.50 per 1,000 gallons. Those who use between 20,000 and 40,000 gallons will pay $2 per 1,000 gallons, an increase of $0.50 per 1,000 gallons. Those who use between 40,000 and 60,000 gallons will pay $2.50 per $1,000 gallons, an increase of $0.75 per 1,000 gallons. Those who use between 60,000 and 80,000 will pay $3 per 1,000 gallons, an increase of $0.75 per 1,000 gallons and those who use above 80,000 gallons will pay $3.50 per 1,000 gallons, an increase of $1 per 1,000 gallons.

In addition, the water rates have changed for nonprofit organizations such as schools, hospitals, religious and charitable institutions. Under the new law concerning nonprofit organizations, where the amount of water consumed is equal to a greater amount than two million gallons per month, the rate shall be $1.10 per 1,000 gallons as opposed to $0.90, commencing on February 1. The rate will jump to $1.30 per 1,000 gallons on Feb. 1, 2003 and then to $1.50 per 1,000 gallons on Feb. 1, 2004. However, there will be a monthly minimum charge of $500 per month per meter with a monthly entitlement of 250,000 gallons per meter.

Village officials and the Village of Mineola Water Commission cited an increase in expenses to produce safe water as the reason the rates will change as of Feb. 1.

According to the village, since 1999, labor costs in the Water Department have increased by 14.94 percent. Also, based upon the infrastructure improvements completed, under way and planned for the immediate future, debt service for the Water Fund will increase by more than $350,000 over 1999 figures. In addition, chemical costs have increased significantly since 1999.

Also, the village cited mandates placed on it by the county and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as reasons for the rate changes.

Among some of the increased costs the village attributed to county and state mandates are water chlorination costs, caustic storage tank replacements at four locations in the village with leak detection systems, the implementation of chemical containment facilities, installed at four locations in the village and the elevation of the pump base at Well No. 1 on Elm Place.

Mayor John P. Colbert and village attorney John Spellman said the village's water fund must stand by itself and cannot borrow money from the General Fund. The village board is conscious of not creating a deficit in its water fund, which could affect its AA bond rating.

Therefore, the water rate increase, the mayor and trustees feel, will keep the village's water fund on solid footing. "Any increase at all is a hardship," said Deputy Mayor Lou Santosus. However, the board agreed to avoid a situation where a deficit in the water fund could be created.