EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — KSHB 41 News reporter Lauren Schwentker covers stories in the Northland, including in Clay and Platte counties. Have a story idea? Send her an email.
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If you're dropping off your water bill in Excelsior Springs, your total will look a little different starting this November.
The city council voted to increase bills by around 5%.
For many residents, money is already tight.
"Inflation, of course, yes, it is costly and we are feeling it at the pump especially," said Chuck Duckworth, who lives in Excelsior Springs.
The city said it faces the same financial pressures its residents do.
"The city has the same expenses and increases from personnel, insurances, utility rates as the people and the public do," said Chad Birdsong, the public works director.
Birdsong told me the increase comes out to a couple more dollars a month, or $34 more a year. That's based on a household using about 5,000 gallons of water a month.
He said the increases happen yearly.
"We've been doing this long enough that it's easier to take small increases over every year," Birdsong said.
Viewers reached out to me asking about their entire water and sewer bill.
Birdsong showed me the numbers, and I found out where your bill stands depending on which Northland city you are in.
Here's what families pay across the region:
- Smithville — $173.36
- Excelsior Springs — $168.62
- Wood Heights — $159.31
- Liberty — $158.12
- Kearney — $153.98
- Richmond — $147.59
Smithville came in highest at about $173 a month.
Excelsior Springs was right behind at about $169, which is roughly $21 more a month than Richmond.
The city does offer help for those who are struggling.
"We do have a program offered through our Good Samaritan Center that if people can't pay their bills or struggle, we give them some money each year," Birdsong said.
For residents like Duckworth, cuts are happening somewhere to make it by.
"We aren't feeling it with water, but we are with groceries," Duckworth said.
When I asked if he was looking at other ways to save money, he said, "Yes, that's correct."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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