ROBINSON (September 11, 2012)--The City of Robinson has developed a budget that includes a water, wastewater and tax increase for the 2012-2013 FY.

The changes are a result of talks with management, Walker Partners, economists.com, Specialized Public Finance and Fulbright & Jaworski, LLC. in an effort to provide necessary capital items and personnel for the future, the city said.

A new water contract with the City of Waco was proposed to go into effect before October 1 to purchase 500,000 gallons of water per day form the City of Waco for a period of ten years.

Elevated and ground water storage would not be part of the contract.

Additionally, the city will ask that Walker Partners, LLC design an elevated storage tank and water treatment plant expansion within the next 5 years.

In order to do this, the city says they must increase the water and wastewater rate beginning October 12, to increase again March 13.

For October, the average residential monthly water bill is projected at $73.82.

Under the new budget, it would then increase to $82.29 in March, a 15 percent increase from the current rate.

The wastewater rate will also see an increase.

The average residential monthly base charge will be $26.50 in October and $28.09 in March, city officials said.

When it comes to property tax, an increase of about 4 cents is recommended to purchase needed capital outlay items, the city said.

According to a city spokesperson, tax on a property valued at $100,000 would increase $38.30 per year.

City services to its citizens will not be adversely affected, a city spokesperson said.