The Bainbridge City Council approved a $2.74 monthly increase to water bills starting in May to pay for preventative maintenance to the five water towers in the city. The resolution passed in a unanimous vote.

The 10-year maintenance plan was originally approved at the Feb. 5, 2015 ,city council meeting.

“Towers need to be painted inside and out.” City Manager Chris Hobby said. “There is a special coating they put on the inside and they will also disinfect them.”

There will also be additional maintenance performed as needed. The maintenance will be performed on a rolling basis with one tower being worked on at a time.

The $2.74 increase will run from May through the Sept. 2019 billing cycle. After that the fee will decrease to $0.98 and will run through 2025 before falling off.