Water & Sewer

Water and Sewer are the utilities that the City of Lindsay provides to its citizens. Each of these utilities is classified as Enterprise Funds.

Enterprise Funds are defined as "funds established for the acquisition, operation, and maintenance of governmental facilities and services that are entirely or predominantly self-supporting by user charges; or where the governing body of a governmental unit has decided that periodic determination of revenues earned, expenses incurred, and resulting net income is appropriate. Government-owned utilities and hospitals are ordinarily accounted for by enterprise funds."

An enterprise fund is operated as an independent business. Therefore, Water is a separate business from Sewer. With this in mind, the City Council of the City of Lindsay is responsible for the operation of these two separate business entities. This responsibility requires the setting of rates to cover the costs of the services that each of the two businesses delivers to the residents of the City.

The City Council is also responsible for ensuring that the long-term needs of the community are going to be met in the areas of Water and Sewer. Establishing the proper rates that account for and make funds available for Capital replacement is the most prudent business method for ensuring that the utilities are able to meet both the current and future needs of the City.

WATER ENTERPRISE FUND

The Water Fund is responsible for the purchase, treatment and distribution of potable water for the residents of the City of Lindsay.

Capital replacement needs for the Lindsay Water System were established in a 1991 cost allocation study prepared by Management Services Institute. The study determined that the Lindsay Water Department facilities had a value of $8,186,986 and that it would require an annual expenditure of $204,670 to repair and replace our facilities. It should be noted that this is a capital cost and must be considered in addition to the operational costs. Operational cost figures include all costs of operations, including salaries, benefits, supplies, utility costs, building occupancy charges and overhead charges.

SEWER ENTERPRISE FUND

The Sewer Fund is responsible for the treatment and disposal of sewage for the residents of the City of Lindsay.

Capital replacement needs for the Lindsay Sewer System were established in a 1991 cost allocation study prepared by Management Services Institute. The study determined that the Lindsay Sewer Department facilities had a value of $11,849,035 and that it would require an annual expenditure of $296,230 to repair and replace our facilities. It should be noted that this is a capital cost and must be considered in addition to the operational costs. Operational cost figures include all costs of operations, including salaries, benefits, supplies, utility costs, building occupancy charges and overhead charges