Utilities Board approves rate increase for water security

The Iowa Utilities Board approved an unusual rate increase for an eastern Iowa utility Thursday. Board spokesman Rob Hillesland says the increase involves the Iowa-American Water Company.The rate increase will help them upgrade their security measures for the Clinton and Quad Cities districts in the wake of September 11th. The residential rate increase nearly three-point-four-three-percent in the Quad Cities and just over eight-percent in Clinton.It’s estimated the increase will generate 288-thousand additional dollars in the Clinton and 611-thousand in the Quad Cities. Hillesland says he can’t give complete details of the security measures, but says they’ll be new things installed and ongoing security.Iowa-American Water is the only water company in the state that requires Utilities Board approval for such a rate increase. Hillesland says he hasn’t seen any other requests for security help from other utilities.Hillesland says the increase begins immediately and is expected to cost the average user in Clinton an extra dollar-51-cents a month, and an extra 66-cents for those in the Quad Cities.