There are many low income and elderly folks living in Montello. With the previous water bill increases, its already hard for many of them some being my own family and friends to pay for water which is a necessity and still pay other necessary bills. So with yet another increase on Montellos water bills it's going make it so they'll have to decide on which bill is gonna get paid that month.

Sincerely, are you trying to kill this town???
It makes me wonder what is really going on here.
It light of all the neglect and abuse of these lines (and the people) over the years, it seems like there's something else going on besides what we are being told.

https://www.elkocountynv.net/notices/misc/2021/Montello%20Water%20%20Income%20and%20Expense%20Analysis.pdf
2020 Montello Water Enterprise Fund Balance for 2020 is over $1.7 million!! Plenty of $$$. Plenty of water. No electricity is required for water flow. People on fixed incomes live here.

I know why you are raising Montello Water rates shamefully. You are charging depreciation to qualify for grants. "Free" government $$$ is NOT free. The recent grant application $200,000 to drill a well for Montello is a perfect example. Montello has a back up water source-Southline.

Please do NOT raise Montello water rates so drastically. We do NOT agree your with water management decisions. Your plans will destroy our town.

I can understand needing to raise the rates but I believe $20.00 is too much. It will be a real hard ship for those of us that are on a fixed income. A lot of us live here because we can not afford to live some where else. I ask that you reconsider the amount you want to increase it.

An increase of 275% for the water station is a fiscal over reach. It is understandable that increase will happen each year but the consumer price index is at 6.2%. Therefore, I would be grateful of an explanation of such an increase!!!

Furthermore, in times of need or drought restrictions will be placed upon the water station, how can this be ethically justified? Water is a basic human right.

The water increases in Montello for all water will have a sever economic impact on many people and will not increase revenue but rather will damage the town and cause it to shrink further.

I have been here since 2012. Its been a constant battle with this water. The people of this community can't keep on affording the raises in the water rates. At this point wright now we can barely afford to water the yards. This place is turning into death valley. There's enough water in the springs to last a lifetime. Nobody from the water department flushes hydrants,replaces 100 year old lines, but they expect us to pay more for water. This is getting really old.

I have lived in Montello since 1971. It was once a beautiful little town with lots of beautiful yards. More then half of the people that live here are on fixed incomes. With all the rate increase on not only the water but on all the utilities this will be a hardship for many. Not to mention that we have only been told an outline of the increase is for. Plus an approval for an application for a well to be drilled. Not really understanding that part as well. Unfortunately when all these meetings are happening I am at work. Thank you for your time.

Raising the water rates by over 200% for those who have special contracts to haul their own water while limiting access to said water in insane. Access to clean and affordable water, regardless of drought or social status is a basic human right and Elko county has no right to make it unaffordable for those who live in and around Montello. Elko county has no right to control the amount of water a family has based on the needs of bigger cities that pay more in taxes back to the county. It is unethical to raise the water price so high all at once. This is a desert state and controlling the water to control the population should be illegal.

The water station in Montello is so poorly maintained by the county that it fails to function in the dead of winter and has a permanent leak when the temperature is above freezing. If Elko county were truly worried about the actual water then why are they allowing a metered system to leak gallon after gallon on to the ground? The county put this system in and now it trying to raise the price of water by 250% in one jump but fails to maintain their own water station.

The people in this area are hardy but most live on a fixed income. A raise in water rates like this will not be something they can afford. Many of the residents here are elderly and limiting their access to water, a basic human need, could have deadly consequences. Montello should be no less important that Elko it self when discussing a human’s is right to affordable water.

The progressive increase to Montello's water rates is detrimental to the town. Montello was once full of beautiful trees and greenery. Properties once surrounded by grass, trees and flowers now sit a wasteland as watering gets cut back further and further. Now the town is turning into a dust bowl. The town does not gain any benefits from the increase, and if it does, there is no communication on how we would benefit. Our spring holds enough water to maintain our town, there is no reason we should be so restricted from it.