OTTUMWA — Time is running out on some water meters in town and if city officials want more time then all meters have to pay.

Clear as spinning dials?

At Monday’s meeting, the Ottumwa City Council discussed base sewer rates for non-metered, multiple-unit dwellings. Public Works Director Larry Seals said he needed a resolution to develop the language for revising the existing ordinance on sewer rates.

Seals brought the matter to council after the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Region 7 of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told city staffers the 20-year financial model for the base sewer rates was inaccurate.

“Currently in the city, multiple-unit dwellings with one water master meter are only being charged the base rate of $11 for sewer usage,” Seals said. “At their request, staff reviewed the number of multiple-unit dwellings versus water meters.”

Staff discovered 1,485 units with only 469 meters servicing these locations. If the city charged a base rate for each unit, the change would generate an additional $134,000 per year for sewer fees.

Seals said city staff proposed revising the language or creating a new ordinance that would “address the base rate for sewer usage for multiple-unit dwellings.”

Councilman Keith Caviness didn’t like it. He objected to the “highway robbery” and called it “taxation without representation.”

“A unit is a unit,” he added.

State and federal officials said the city “wasn’t maximizing the money available and wasn’t running the utility correctly,” Seals said.

Councilman Bob Meyers wondered why it’s unfair to increase the rate for those not paying.

“That was unfair to those who are paying for their usage,” he said.

Ted Payseur of Veenstra & Kimm Engineering, West Des Moines, said residential water users cover 50 percent of wastewater costs and pay 60 percent of the money coming in. Commercial users are paying 45 percent on wastewater and paying 37 percent of the money.

“Look at the disparity. Commercial should pay more,” he added.

“I think the DNR is leveraging their authority to see how much they can get,” Caviness said. “If we endorse this, people renting will pay more.”