City of Bel Aire
What does my utility bill pay for?
Operation of public utilities can be confusing to most people. Monthly bills do not explain where the money you pay goes and what those fees are actually paying for. To better explain what sewer and water revenues are spent on, the Public Works Department offers this explanation taken from the 2009 budget. Percentages in the graphs represent the expenses that the water and sewer departments must pay to provide service.
Chisholm Creek Utility Authority
The Chisholm Creek Utility Authority (CCUA) is the water and sewer treatment facility co-owned by the City of Bel Aire and Park City. The CCUA is an independent organization that is governed by a Board of Directors composed of Bel Aire and Park City representatives. Staff members for the CCUA are directed by the Board and paid through the CCUA; the City of Bel Aire does not have direct authority over the CCUA staff, operations or budgeting. The City of Bel Aire and Park City shared the construction costs of building the plant and the continuing operations costs. The City of Bel Aire is charged monthly for operations costs and pays annual debt service on bonds used to construct the plant. Payments to CCUA for Operations and Maintenance and Debt Service for both Water and Sewer account for 53% of all expenditures or approximately $1.89 million annually.
2009 Sewer Expenditure Breakdown
Projected revenue for the sewer fund for 2009 is $1,605,980. Of that total revenue approximately 86% or $1.38 million comes from sewer fees paid on residents sewer bills.
- CCUA Debt Service: $556,500
- CCUA Operations & Maintenance: $346,500
- Franchise Fee transfer to the General Fund: $50,000
Bel Aire employs a Public Works Director, a Utility Clerk, three full time Wastewater/Street Technicians and two Equipment Operators that are partially paid through the sewer fund. Salaries and benefits account for 15% or $221,600 of expenditures in the sewer fund.
Operations expenditures pay for the daily maintenance activities and administrative duties and include expenditures for safety equipment, postage, industrial cleaning supplies, lift station maintenance, etc.
Capital outlays are for large equipment purchases and sewer system improvements, including replacing or rebuilding broken lines.
2009 Water Expenditure Breakdown
Projected revenue for 2009 is $,1967,772. Of that total revenue approximately 76% or $1.5 million comes from water fees paid by residents.
The largest category of expenditures (70%) for sewer is contractual services. The three largest contractual obligations are:
- CCUA Debt Service: $625,800
- CCUA Operations & Maintenance: $363,000
- Water Purchased from Wichita: $184,000
Bel Aire employs a Public Works Director, a Utility Clerk, three
full time Water Technicians and two Equipment Operators
that are partially paid through the water fund. Salaries and benefits
account for 15% or $221,600 of expenditures in the sewer fund.
Operations expenditures pay for the daily maintenance activities and administrative duties and include expenditures for well field maintenance, small tools, training, equipment repairs, etc.
Capital outlays are for large equipment purchases, building repair and lease purchase agreements for vehicles. There is no budgeted expenditures for water system improvement in 2009.
7651 E Central Park Ave