Water Rate Hike Needs Thinking Over

The City of Keene’s proposal to increase water rates for customers who use too much water seems logical on the face of it, but there are two glaring problems with the current proposal.First, Keene already gives a discount rate to bulk commercial and industrial users for doing exactly what the proposal is trying to stem – using more water. You would think the City might consider raising those rates before tapping the residential homeowner.Second, multi-family buildings by and large have only one meter for up to four families. These families are renters – which make up more than a half of Keene’s population – and are ill prepared to pay even more for what are among the state’s highest rents.This should be sent back to the finance committee and amended to address two glaring inequities among classes of citizens in Keene.

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