West Columbia City Council, at a rare 9 a.m. meeting Tuesday, passed final reading of its 2016-17 $16.8 million general fund budget and a water-sewer budget.

Facing annual increases for its water and sewer department of more than $2 million, the water-sewer budget includes an increase in fees of between $4 and $4.50-a-month for in-city customers. That increase is double for out of city users.
Debt service, water-sewer plant maintenance and upgrades and an almost $9 million payment to the City of Columbia for upgrades to its plant triggered the increase.
West Columbia still has the second-lowest water-sewer rates in the state of 181 systems.