(SESSER, IL) — Water and sewer rates in Sesser may be on the way up. Sesser Mayor Jason Ashmore tells us the city council last week discussed the rate increases. Ashmore says the proposed water rate increase for residents in the city limits is $3 per household monthly and $5 per household monthly for those living outside of the city limits. Currently, residents who pay the minimum charge for water and sewer per month pay $21.79. Other households that use 6,000 gallons of water and 6,000 gallons of sewer per month pay $44.49 per month. The increase in the sewer rates is a requirement for the loan/grant the city received to upgrade its sewer system. The proposed rate increase started at $35 per month per household. Ashmore says the city is at about $15 per month per household, but will be able to phase it in over three or so years to alleviate the impact on residents. Council members took no action on the proposed rates, but it’s expected the council will vote on the proposal at next month’s meeting. Ashmore says the water and sewer rates have not been raised since 2001. Rend Lake has increased their rates during this time, so the mayor says the city needs to raise them to keep up with Rend Lake’s rate increase. He says the city has infrastructure that is decades old that needs updating. Ashmore says the city is trying to be transparent and include the public on this because too many times towns raise their rates without really getting input from residents on really letting them know.