Salina City Manager Could Receive Expanded Authority to Create Water Bill Relief Program

The Salina City Commission will consider authorizing a temporary water-bill relief program for customers experiencing documented water quality problems connected to the city’s distribution system.

Resolution No. 26-8362, scheduled for consideration Monday, would direct City Manager Jacob Wood to develop, approve and administer a Water Quality Rate Relief Policy. The resolution would not immediately provide credits or establish a specific amount of assistance. Instead, it would give the city manager authority to determine the program’s eligibility standards, testing requirements and level of relief.

The proposal follows repeated complaints from residents in several Salina neighborhoods. During the June 22 City Commission meeting, residents reported water quality concerns on Dover Drive, Millwood Drive and Manor Drive. One Dover Drive resident requested help purchasing bottled water and credits for water bills she said she was paying despite being unable to use the water.

Under the proposed resolution, eligibility could be based on objective water quality measurements, turbidity thresholds, field testing, recurring verification, complaint history and the condition of nearby water infrastructure. Before providing assistance, city staff would also need to determine that the problem is attributable to the city’s water distribution system.

Possible forms of relief could include rebates, adjusted rates or temporary rate holidays. Assistance could apply to the monthly water base charge, usage charges and the state water fee. The policy could also use separate calculations for properties with irrigation or sprinkler systems, potentially based on winter water consumption or another usage baseline.

The city manager would be authorized to require applications and supporting documentation, order initial and recurring water tests and approve, deny, suspend or terminate participation. Those duties could also be delegated to other city employees.

The resolution does not specify how much relief a qualifying customer could receive, how long assistance would last or whether credits could be applied to previous bills. It also does not establish a program budget, an application opening date or a formal appeal process.

Participation would not create a guaranteed or continuing right to lower water bills. The resolution states that the city would not be required to provide relief until administrative criteria are adopted and a customer’s eligibility is verified.

The proposal describes the program as a temporary response to documented water problems while longer-term infrastructure improvements are pursued. The city manager would provide periodic reports to commissioners on participation, testing, administrative effects and the program’s relationship to ongoing waterline replacement work.

The City Commission is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Monday, July 13, in Room 107 of the City-County Building.