FRASER, Mich. (WXYZ) — Fraser residents are raising concerns about their water bills, with some saying they've seen costs double in recent years despite no increase in usage.
Watch Whitney Burney's report below:
After spending a day in Fraser, I found the No. 1 question from residents was about their water bills. Some families reported that even when their water usage decreased, the costs remained elevated, cutting into their household budgets.
"It used to be cheap, but obviously it's not anymore. It just goes a steady stream up and you really don't get an explanation of why?" Fraser resident Allen Tremberth said.
It's a topic that dominates conversations in the small city.
"It just seems like it happened over night," another Fraser resident Jack Belli said.
Belli says he has seen his water costs substantially increase over time.
"Well, the first one we got was just under a hundred bucks. Now, I know there's other people — they're paying more from what I hear and they're not happy about it, but what are you going to do?" Belli said.
As the city approaches a new budget year, neighbors worry prices will continue to rise.
"I've got some old water bills I can show ya. It used to be 50 bucks a month. Now, it's 80 (dollars), and that's just for two people. People who have kids or bigger families, I can only imagine how they do it," Tremberth said.
These residents represent just a few of the stories 7 News Detroit heard off camera. Several residents reported paying between $150 to $200 monthly for a family of four. Our newsroom and a post on social media also received dozens of requests and messages asking about the water rates in Fraser that residents described as high.
Multiple attempts on Tuesday to reach the city manager for comment, including visits to city hall, emails, and voicemails, were unsuccessful.
Wednesday, 7 News Detroit heard back from Mayor Michael Lesich, who says a part of the reason he became involved in local politics is because of a price hike on water bills more than a decade ago.
Lesich says about 88% of the costs associated with Fraser residents' water bills go to other entities like GLWA, which provides the clean drinking water, and the county, which takes care of sewage services. He says city residents also pay for debt service and improvement projects like the 7-year effort to replace aged water lines and prevent water main breaks. That project is costing about $2-3 million annually.
FULL INTERVIEW: Fraser Mayor Michale Lesich talks about water bills and resident frustration
According to information available on the city's website, Fraser customers pay a rate of $5.48 per unit of water used. A unit is equivalent to 748 gallons. By comparison, neighboring Roseville charges $2.82 for the same unit, while Detroit charges $2.67.
While the factors contributing to Fraser's higher rates remain unclear, residents express a desire for more affordable water services.
"It just seems like it's a bit too high," Belli said.
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