Update: Greendale Water Rates Still Being Determined, Officials Say

The state Public Service Commission approved a 21 percent increase in Milwaukee water rates last month, but that may not mean local bills are going up, according to village officials. 

Greendale Director of Public Works Carl Tisonik said rates are still being worked out. 

"It's too early to tell," he said. "The attorneys are still sorting out the PSC's ruling. They have to figure out a way to fund their operations. We don't know if there will be rebates or things like that. It will be a matter of time."

The situation is somewhat counterintuitive for Greendale residents, because the Milwaukee Water Works, which provides water to the village, won a 20.8 percent increase in rates from the Public Service Commission last month. But that increase doesn't translate to Greendale because the cost of providing water to the village is expected to decline $130,000 this year. 

Echoing Tisonik, Village Manager Todd Michael said it was too early to know the effect on village resident. Michael explained the situation in an e-mail to Patch, writing: 

The Water Utility is a separate entity run by the Village that is not tax levy supported.  The Utility is self supported by fees charged for water use.  Only about half of the Utility’s costs are for water bought from Milwaukee.  The Village has very low water rates.  The Village Board has kept rates as low as possible, in fact the Utility has been charging less for water than it should to cover costs.  We are still evaluating whether Greendale water rates will decrease as a result of the Milwaukee rate case decision for the aforementioned reasons.

Editor's Note: This is a clarification of a Dec. 29 story that stated that water rates were going to decrease.