LAVALETTE -- Households served by the Northern Wayne Public Service District might be paying 25 percent more for sewer service.

The district wants to raise its monthly rate from $10.01 to about $12.51 for each 1,000 gallons of water a customer consumes, according to a preliminary report filed with the West Virginia Public Service Commission.

About 2,700 customers in Spring Valley, Lavalette and along the U.S. Route 75 area would be affected. Rebecca Ferman, the district's general manager, said the last time the district implemented its own increase was in 1995. Customers have experienced, however, a mandatory rate increase several years ago when the Huntington Sanitary Board increased its processing rates that the district pays.

Ferman said the district's board approved the rate increase this week at its monthly meeting. The request must go before the state Public Service Commission to determine if the request is justified. The commission also will decide the amount of the increase.

A variety of factors have contributed to the district's need for more money, Ferman said. They include:

• Ferman said Kenova Water, the Lavalette Public Service District and West Virginia American Water have increased the amount they charge the district to use their meters to determine customers' monthly bills.
• An unusually high number of breaks in the system. The district has had to replace several broken pump stations and sewage lines. Ferman noted that the district's only income, aside from about $50,000 a month from state agencies to fund projects, is the money from customers.
• A large percentage of customers who aren't paying their bills. "Last month we sent out 2,700 bills to our customers and 700 letters indicating that they did not pay their bill," Ferman said. "In the summer and around Christmastime, people would rather pay for other things rather than their sewer bill."

As a result, the district has been unable to repay $200,000 in loans from the West Virginia Water Development Authority and the state Department of Environment Protection.

"We have utilities to pay too, and the cost of fuel, Appalachian Power's rate increase and water company rate increases are forcing us to make rate increases," Ferman said. "We're deficient on our debt payments, and we're not making enough money to cover the bills coming in."

Ferman said the district's accountants are currently developing a financial report, expected to be finished later this week, as the final filing for a rate increase. Ferman expected several months to pass before the Public Service Commission reviews the proposals and implements any increase.