LOCK HAVEN — Water customers within the City of Lock Haven will see a change in their quarterly bills beginning May 1.

During Monday night’s meeting, council unanimously adopted an ordinance which set the water rates for city customers to be the same rate as out-of-city water customers.

The city serves about 3,200 water customers. Of that number 500 customers are located in Wayne Township, 500 in Castanea and 24 customers are in Allison Township, with the remainder located within the city limits.

The rates, according to a summary from the city’s financial advisor Raftelis, were made in an effort to improve rate equity, improve affordability of water services for residential customers and improve rates toward conservation.

The new rate, which goes in effect on May 1, will see the following changes for different classes of customers:

— Residential customers’ average quarterly bill rate will drop by about $10.04 from $100.46 to $90.42.

— Commercial customers’ average quarterly bill will see an increase of about $51.41, going from $260.72 to $312.13.

— Education customers’ average quarterly bill will see an increase of about $434.64, going from $767.97 to $1,202.61.

— Public Health customers’ average quarterly bill will see an increase of about $92.60, going from $332.41 to $425.41.

These rates, according to City Manager Gregory Wilson, will now be in-line with customers served outside of the city. He noted the rates for out-of-city customers are set by the Public Utility Commission, while the council is able to adjust rates for customers within its limits.

“While the PUC approval sets the rates for customers of the city’s water department in Wayne, Castanea and Allison Townships, the ordinance adopted at Monday’s meeting sets the same rates for the city’s customers within the city limits,” Wilson said. “That way everyone is paying the same rate for the city’s water no matter where you live.”