(Willmar MN-) Willmar residents will be seeing a water rate increase of 20% next year. City Administrator Leslie Valiant says it is necessary to help pay for a new water treatment plant going up in northeast Willmar. Valiant says the increase will be on the February utility bill, and is part of a 4-year rate increase. Next year the rates will go up another 5%, then 4%, then 3. The city had asked the legislature for bonding money to help with the project but lawmakers failed to get one passed this year...
...Willmar Municipal Utilities General Manager John Harren says work has already started on the water treatment plant...
...The plant is being built near the water tower, north of the railroad tracks on Lakeland Drive and will take 18 months to two years to complete.