The Brown County Water Improvement District (BCWID) unanimously approved a fractional increase in water rates along with their 2011-2012 budget.

BCWID General Manager Dennis Spinks presented three budget proposals to the board of directors on Monday, and the board selected one of the scenarios recommended by Spinks for approval.

The new rate for treated water to wholesale customers will be $1.3766/1000 gallons (a 0.46% increase over last year) and $0.6977/1000 gallons (a 0.80% increase over last year) for untreated water.  Their approved budget was a 1.87% increase over last year.

“That’s a reasonable increase I feel like,” Spinks said.

The water district was set to vote on the water rates and budget last week which proposed much higher increases but took no action after Brownwood City Manager Bobby Rountree asked the district to not increase water rates (click here for story).

“I did calculate the effect it would have on the City of Brownwood because they had requested the reduction. Over a year’s time – this will only be an increase of about $8071 as far as the amount of water they will purchase,” Spinks said after the meeting adjourned.

Early City Administrator Ken Thomas was in attendance and said that the increase would be about a $1600 increase of their annual purchase of water from the district.