Sewer rates will be increased by 11% for Tamaqua customers in order to help pay for substantial upgrades at the borough’s wastewater treatment plant.

The increase amounts to $14 per quarter, which will bring the current rate of $130 to $144.

Borough council on Wednesday passed a resolution to increase the fees. They’ll go into effect on Jan. 1.

“This is the ordinance required as part of the sewer treatment plant project with the bonding there,” explained borough Solicitor Anthony Odorizzi.

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority awarded a $12.2 million grant and a $7.8 million low-interest loan for the project. The borough also backed up an amount up to $17 million in Guaranteed Sewer Revenue Bonds that the Tamaqua Borough Authority will borrow.

The rate increase, Odorizzi said, is required to assure that the borough generates sufficient revenue to pay off the debt.

The resolution also notes that rates will increase by 2% in 2026 and by 14% in 2028.

According to the resolution, the percentage increases “shall apply until further modified by the Tamaqua Borough Council by ordinance.” Borough Manager Kevin Steigerwalt said the rate increases will be evaluated to see whether they should be changed.

The project includes replacing aging and outdated equipment, and will prevent sewage overflows from polluting the Little Schuylkill River.

The planned improvements to the wastewater treatment plant include constructing a new headworks building, rehabilitating the primary and secondary clarifiers and the aeration tanks, converting two aeration tanks to swing equalization basins, installing a new flash mix tank and a new magnesium hydroxide system, replacing the aeration blowers, and replacing the chlorine gas system with sodium hypochlorite disinfection.