Westerville City Council heard the first reading Tuesday night of three proposed ordinances that would raise water, sewer and trash collection rates.

Under the proposed water-rate increases, the average Westerville resident would see a monthly increase totaling $1.04, from an average of $15.92 to $16.96.

If approved, the percentage increase will depend on water consumption. Those who pay the minimum $4.45 bill would pay $4.65, a 4.5 percent increase. The amount for the first 1,500 cubic feet of water consumption would be increased from $1.99 to $2.12, a 6.5-percent increase.

For the next 8,500 cubic feet consumed, users would pay $1.52, up 8.6 percent from $1.40. For every cubic foot over 10,000 cubic feet, users would pay $.92, up 9.5 percent from $.84.

The rate increases would raise revenue for the water department by 7 percent, Westerville finance director Jack Winkel told council.

The additional $192,000 per year would help the water department deal with rising maintenance costs, Winkel said.

Even with a potential increase, he said Westerville water rates will remain among the lowest in central Ohio.

If sanitary sewer rates are increased as a result of the proposed legislation, Westerville sewer users would see their bills go up by about $.74 per month, Winkel said.

It would represent a 2 percent increase in fees by the city of Columbus that would then be passed on to consumers. Columbus provides sewer services to Westerville.

The proposed increase in solid waste removal fees also would be passed on to Westerville residents and businesses from Rumpke.

The city's contract with the trash-removal provider expires at the end of this year. A new contract is expected to raise rates $1.75 per month, from the current $16 to $17.75, for the first year of the contract, Winkel said.

It's expected that that rate would be maintained through the remaining four years of the contract, he said.

Under council's meeting schedule, the proposed rate increases would be up for a second reading on Dec. 1 and for a third reading and vote Dec. 15.