MURFREESBORO – Citizens here will have to reach a little deeper into their pockets to pay their water and sewer fees.

On June 26, the Murfreesboro Town Council voted unanimously to approve the increase to the fees.

Both fees are being increased due to obligations incurred by the wastewater expansion project, which broke ground on June 18.

The increase will raise the minimum water charge from $16 to $21 and the minimum sewer charge from $12.50 to $17.50. Out of town rates will be doubled.

The town received a State Revolving Loan totaling more than $4 million over a 20 year period and a $400,000 grant from The Rural Center to start the bidding process and construction on the project.

A bid for $3,862,600 from Laughlin-Sutton Construction Company of Greensboro was accepted in May by the board.

“Even with this increase, it does not completely cover the annual installment for the project,” a public notice sent to the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald stated. “We are hoping to acquire other funding sources during this 2007-2008 budget period to help reduce the overall cost to the customers of the town of Murfreesboro.”

Murfreesboro has been under a moratorium for several years, preventing the town from taking on new customers, hence preventing growth of the town.