Homer sewer rates discriminate against Kachemak City residents, especially those who travel extensively. We are longtime residents of Kachemak City, and we have traveled from Alaska for five months each year since 2007. During that time, not a drop of water went into our sewer, yet we are charged $94.81 every month for sewer service, an arbitrary 52 percent increase from last year.  

Since 2007, Homer has charged us a total of $2,489 for the five months each year even though we were away and discharged not a drop into the sewer system. 

This is grossly discriminatory to Kachemak City since Homer residents are charged substantially lower rates and only for the water they discharge to the sewer. By comparison, the city of Tucson charges us a flat sewer fee of $12.95 per month for the seven months that we are absent from our Arizona house. 

Kachemak City has repeatedly tried in vain to engage the Homer City Council to negotiate a reasonable rate structure and allow us to voluntarily pay for installation of meters on our water system to measure our actual use of the sewer. We use less than 2,000 gallons per month collected from our roof, yet Homer unfairly charges us for 3,500 gallons at a monthly cost of $73.50, instead of less than $40 for our actual use. We would be willing to pay for our actual use of water plus the standard service fee, but the current  rates are exorbitant and discriminatory.

Homer’s discriminatory treatment of Kachemak City residents, their $1 million of overcharges to Kachemak City  for the original sewer construction, and their excessive taxes and lack of services are why Kachemak City does not wish to be swallowed up by Homer.

Dr. David Raskin and Marga Raskin 

Kachemak City