The Audubon City Council approved the final reading of an ordinance updating rates and billing for utility customers at their meeting earlier this week. Currently, billing is completed on a quarterly basis for each user, but Clerk, Joe Foran, says that practice will be coming to an end with the approval of the new city code.

The ordinance will go into effect once published on Friday, Jan. 15. In addition to the transition to monthly billing from quarterly, Foran says they have also updated how those usage fees are calculated.

Foran adds rates are going up slightly, but bills will be smaller than many customers are used to simply because they are looking at a much shorter period of time. When calculated out, he expects the average customer will be paying about $35 more per month for water services through the city. The council has been considering this change since at least Nov. 1, and Foran says they have not heard much from the public for or against it.

Residents with questions about the billing and rate changes going into effect at the end of the month are encouraged to contact Audubon City Hall at 712-563-3269.