FOLLANSBEE — Citing declining revenue and much needed improvements, Follansbee officials are planning an increase to the city’s water rates.

On Thursday, the water board agreed to raise the base rate for its city and suburban customers from $11.29 per 1,000 gallons to $24.21 per 1,500 gallons.

Mayor David Velegol Jr. said the city is one of a small number that bases its water rate on 1,000 gallons per month.

With the increase, water customers who use 3,400 gallons per month would pay $54.88, an increase of $16.49.

The increase must be approved through two readings by Follansbee Council, the first slated for its next meeting at 7 p.m. Monday.

Velegol said the city’s water department has suffered from the closing of the Mountain State Carbon plant, which had been a major water user.

Before presenting the proposed increase to the water board, he noted money has been borrowed from other city funds to support the water department.

He said the money includes $1 million taken from the city’s Urban Development Action Grant trust fund to match the $2 million grant awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers for improvements to the water treatment system and about $500,000 taken from the city’s general fund and sewer account.

Velegol said if those funds are not repaid, the city won’t be eligible for grants or low-interest loans for improvements to the water system.

“Our rates have traditionally been so low, we weren’t eligible for low-interest loans or grant money,” he said.

The mayor added money is needed in the general fund for street paving and other projects.

Velegol also noted the city still owes about $190,000 on a 20-year loan taken for radio-read water meters about 10 years ago while also needing to replace many of the meters.

He said the meters are at the end of their lifespan and some are producing inaccurate readings.

City Manager Chris Manack-Stover said at least 1,200 of the meters must be replaced at this time.

Bill Secrist, the city’s public works director, said the meters have been read manually to ensure correct readings and more may need to be replaced in the future.

The water board agreed to use funds from American Rescue Plan Act money awarded to the city to pay for an estimated 2,500 new meters.

Plans had originally called for the money to be used to replace streetlights along two blocks of Main Street. But Velegol said bids received for that project were incomplete, and the money must be allocated before Dec. 31.

Velegol said about $780,000 remains from the funds, which he also hopes to use to pay for a footbridge across Allegheny Creek.

He and other city officials have discussed creating a small park in an area where two buildings were torn down to reduce the risk of a culvert channeling the creek to the Ohio River becoming clogged and flooding, a recurring problem.

When water board member Mark Schwertfeger questioned whether the increase will be enough, Velegol said, “We’re going to look at this again next year. We don’t want to overburden everybody in one year.”

Velegol said a condition of the funds awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers for the estimated $3.1 million water project is that agency is to advertise for bids and name the contractor.

Designed by Ghosh Engineering, the project will include upgrades to water plants and lines serving both downtown Follansbee and the Hooverson Heights area.

Velegol told the city’s water board, which also met Thursday, contract negotiations are under way with the preferred contractor for an estimated $12.9 million in improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment system.

The board is expected next month to approve the unnamed contractor from five that submitted bids for the project.

They are: Ferri Contracting of Canonsburg, Pa., $2,698,450, and Triton Construction of St. Albans, W.Va., $2,890,000, both for improvements to the sewer plant; Alex E. Paris Contracting of Atlasburg, Pa., $10,238,170, and James White Construction of Weirton, $10,513,465, both for the replacement of about 865 linear feet of lines, manholes and other structures; and Independent Enterprises of Oakdale, Pa., $9,458,000, for both the plant and line work.

The project is being supported by $10.2 million in federal funds secured by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va. and $2.7 million in state funds.