By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

TAYLOR MILL - Residents in this Kenton County city will pay 59 percent more for water beginning in September.

Taylor Mill City Council voted 3-1 Wednesday to raise the water rates, a move that essentially passes on an increase the city has been paying for its water.

Nearly all cities in Kenton and Campbell counties are part of the Northern Kentucky Water District, which serves more than 300,000 customers.

But in a throwback to the days before the water district consolidated a number of small water distribution systems, Taylor Mill operates its own municipal water system, buying its water wholesale from the water district.

Mayor Mark Kreimborg, who voted for the increase, said the water district raised wholesale rates two months ago by 59 percent.

"They were going for 70 percent, but we fought them on that and got it down to 59 percent, which is what we had to pass through to the residents," Kreimborg said.

Joining Kreimborg in support of the increase were council members Robert Haake and Lee Moening.

Councilwoman Sara Voelker, who cast the lone dissenting vote, said it's time to sell the water system to the Northern Kentucky Water District.

"Taylor Mill essentially serves as a middleman, purchasing water from the water district," Voelker said. "Any successful businessperson knows that cutting out the middleman can cut costs."

The city uses revenue generated by the water system to fund public works. Voelker said public works could be paid for with money from the sale of the city's water system.

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com