AUBURN – The Auburn City Council approved the utility budget Tuesday and considered trends including the lowest water usage in the utility's history.

Manager Dave Hunter said water sales through August are trending at 3 million gallons lower than last year.

The city has a historical average of 80 million gallons, but is averaging 16 million gallons below average.

Water sales continue to decline from a 2002 peak of 152 million gallons to the 100-million-gallon range.

The average customer is using 150 gallons per day at a calculated cost of $40 per month, but Hunter said the average bill is around $33 per month.

Hunter said the water department’s 1,800 customers would need to pay an average of $46 per month to meet forecasted expenses.

Manager Dave Hunter said revenue in the electrical department is expected to exceed expenses, but $2.7 million are planned in 2020 for capital improvements.

He said 63 percent of the department’s costs come from the cost of wholesale power from WAPA transmission and Nebraska Public Power District.

He said wastewater billing is trending downward in Auburn because customers are fixing water leaks. However, inflow to the wastewater plant is rising due to a wetter climate.

Hunter expects a rate study to be conducted in 2020 to address this year’s shortfall of $125,000.