Silly "slantbob" -- what I meant was: the cat vaccination incident I mentioned, and the sidewalks being marked all happened immediately after I was jobless... in the Spring. My comment was about the past... and yes, I am STILL LOOKING for a decent job.. thinking of just going back to school instead. As to saving water, we put all low flow faucet thingies and shower head in... and our washing machine has been changed over to a 1957 SpeedQueen electric wringer washer... yeah, that's right...meaning that I can save tons of water by means of manual control. Our old (normal) washer is still there, waiting in the wings for when I don't have time to use the wringer... but it looks like these changes aren't going to help... much.. I live by the Rock.. maybe it's time to hook into the river! ha.

Yeah zythia, I hear ya. We went to rain barrels last year for garden watering, along with a new water softener that is using MUCH less water, and a washing machine which uses 40% less water. We even use the water captured in the dehumidifiers in the summer for garden watering. And last, but the least desireable change, was to flush our toilets less. The result? Our total water bills went from $35-45 a quarter to now around $65. Here's the real kicker I guess; The nitrate levels in the water are unsafe for human consumption, according to WI standards. More than 10 parts per million. Is that GM's fault too?

How much more can the citizens of this community pay out? The council and manager need to control spending. Water rates up, limiting the number of trash bags or pay an extra fee, build a parking ramp, build an ice area the list goes on.... Has the council and manager forgot the unemployment % in this town. In closing how much is spent on picking up the leaves in the gutters???

These companies better start realizing that they're going to have losses just like everyone else. They can't keep making the same money when everyone else isn't! They will have to learn to suffer along with the rest.

My quarterly bill is aprox $150.00 also. Where are they getting their averages from?????

slantbob.....ummmmm jobs are not that easy to come by here right now! What world do you live in?????

you lost your job 9 months ago, perhaps your time would be better spent getting a new job??

This is rediculous! With the economy the way it is and Janesville struggling like it is, and now this! This is just wrong! Our water bill for 3 months runs around $150.00, we watch very closely how much water we use a year ago we had water bills around $80 every 3 months and this past year it has been AWFUL, so now my bill will be over $200 for 3 months?!?!?!? That is INSANE!!!!!!

Since I have been "eliminated" from Lab Safety in February, everyone has been so kind.. kind enough to mark all of the sidewalks on our street for immediate repair (for which we were given 3 months to be in compliance.) That same month, we had an officer knock on our door asking for proof of vaccinations and registration -- for our cats (for which we were given a week's time to be in compliance, as their vaccinations were expired in 2008.. Naturally that was my top multi-hundred dollar priority after losing my job in February 2009.) So this proposal will fit in nicely! No filling the kiddie pool for the kids next summer! And, time to bust out the rain barrels to fill the potty and for washing clothes! Just like the good ol' days! ; )

Maybe I can get them to remove the STORM WATER section OFF my bill to save me a few bucks -- My ancient street doesn't send storm water runoff to the treatment plant.. it has been dumping it directly into the river for the last hundred years, yet we still pay "our share..." ; )

madeinusa...reread the article. It says "The average residential customer pays $61.60 per quarter now to the wastewater utility, according to staff. The proposed rate would be $79.65. It then goes on to say "The TOTAL bill per quarter for BOTH water and wastewater after the increase would be $120.40." The Wastewater bill is going up approximately $20 which is 30% of $60.

Janesville - Love it or Levitt

First let's look at the No Child Left Behind mathematics; if your water bill is going from an average of $61 to $120 per quarter, is this a 30% increase? No, doubling a bill is NOT an increase of 30%. The increase is actually 100%, with the resulting bill being 200% higher, or a doubling thereof. Is George Bush II doing the COJ Math charts now?

Second, we the current residents have already shouldered the big expense of putting water systems into the outlying new subdivisions, which ARE emptying. It's done. If the water treatment plant is "planned" what is the cost, and why is that not on the table out in the open?

With GM gone, that's less wastewater produced that needs to be treated. Less buisness, so your going to raise rates because you lost a customer? No customer, no use, no need to raise rates to cover what isn't going to be treated! You want more buisness, then go about it the old fashioned way. Market & find customers. You counted on GM to "use" your services to treat the water they produced...no water, then no need to treat. Your crap out of luck until a new customer comes along. Keep it up and see how many more people in this town walk away from their houses. It's getting really easy not to care anymore.

Seriously??? I cannot take anymore increases. I'm barely holding on to my home now. Couldn't something like this wait until the economy recovers?

Welcome to Levitt Land

There is no way that this could be put off a couple of years more? I think the citizens of this city are in need of a break from all the increases. Doesn't anyone realize that we are losing jobs out here?

Don't worry peons. This latest theft will help pay for the much needed ice arena and if there is enough left over, the tunnel under Miulwaukee St., a childrens museum and whatever else the "pie in the sky" club can dream up

how about if we also cut city workers pay and benefits this could help pay for the upgrade and expansion.

It figures don't it? I rent so if I decide i have to move my family I won't have to worry about selling the house.... the mortgage company from texas and city taxes already took that. Then the job at the warehouse took the job.

Obama's fault

I thought the GM plant had its own wastewater treatment plant. Or was that just a stormwater one?

I remember when it was announced that GM was closing, certain bloggers (janesvillehero in particular) posted that the closing was not going to affect them. This closing will and has affected all of us that live in Janesville somehow.

ladulce: Don't envy us renters too much ... with each new lease period, my rent climbs to cover all types of increased costs. The hat always gets passed my way.

idiots, enough is enough, because GM is shut down we have to pay more?

Hey janesvillean, who do you think pays the state tax and federal tax. Get real. As the walls of GM are being knocked down, you morons will be saying "OH It looks like they are building a new Plant. GM is gone, get over it and go on with your life.

If people are leaving the city, as well as business's -- why do they have to expand the waste treatment plant? less people and a larger capacity waste treatment plant just doesn't make any sense at all !!!

It is becoming ridiculous to own a home. Making me jealous of renters.

Sure increase our rates . We can really afford to pay more. Think about it.More people are out of work than ever before and what do these
companies do? Raise their rates to expand or
because people and factories have left town
and they aren`t making enough money.Your
timing is great. When the people are down
kick them in the teeth with another rate hike.
What do you care city council? You all have jobs.

The expansion has been discussed by the council since at least 2008. Part of the expansion will be funded by state and perhaps federal monies. While GM is closed now, someday it will return to being an active industrial site and produce significant wastewater.
http://bit.ly/172enZ

Unbelievable, charter rates going up now this whats next ?????????????????

If I read this right, the reason the rates will be going up is because the council feels they need to expand services. If customers are going away wouldn't we need less service? Besides GM leaving, drive around and look at all the vacant homes. It isn't just business moving away.

The city has to expand services because there are less customers?

With GM gone and all the revenue that went with it, the increases are a necessary evil. People still want the same services so somebody has to make up the shortfall. That would be us.

One more time the taxpayer is going to get it stuck to him or her as the case might be.

30% jump seems awful high for a community that is struggling to get by right now!!