Water bills to rise, inflation the culprit

After telling the board of directors that Pioneer Water can anticipate a “20 to 30%” increase in the costs of what’ll be needed in the next 12 months, the board approved a retail rate increase.  The board agreed with Pruitt’s proposal to apply the additional revenues to the cost of buying additional water from nearby supplier city of Seneca.  “We’ve got to increase our incomes,” Pruitt said.  For a customer using more than three thousand gallons a month, a $5.80 cent increase is estimated.  In a move to further stabilize its financial position, General Manager Pruitt proposed an arrangement with engineering company Black and Veatch to help prepare for an application to the federal government to justify the potential award of $10 million dollars of money from “ARCA”—the American Rescue Care Act.