Carthage, IL – Carthage will drop its water surcharge after the end of this month, but will likely hike its water rates as well.
Mayor James Nightingale says a $6 per month minimum surcharge was added while the city purchased more water from Hamilton beginning last Dec. 1. He says that was needed while the city's reservoir was up to eight feet below the spillway.
Now the lake is full. However, Nightingale says the city needs an increase to help pay for water projects and to begin saving toward a long-term way of increasing its water supply. He says among ideas being considered are drilling wells or dredging the lake.