The Altoona Water Authority is proposing to raise sewer rates 12 percent for next year.
The hike is part of a four-year plan to fund a pair of sewer plant projects designed to protect Chesapeake Bay.
"It's no surprise," authority Vice Chairman Patrick Dumm said at a recent budget meeting.
The increase would raise the sewer bill for the average authority user of 5,000 gallons a month by $4.50, to $42.06.
That would generate a total bill of $92, including water.
The authority doesn't plan to raise water rates.
The additional funding will help pay back $51 million borrowed to help pay for the $64.5 million rehabilitation of the Westerly and Easterly treatment plants.
Westerly is essentially finished, while workers recently shifted to the updated treatment process at Easterly, which is more than half done.
The authority will consider the sewer rate hike for formal approval this month.
The sewer hike would raise the bill for a minimum water user - less than 1,670 gallons a month - by $1.74, to $16.24.
That would generate a total bill of about $40.
It would raise the bill for the national-average user of 10,000 gallons a month by $8.66, to $80.86 - generating a total bill of $163.
And it would raise the bill for a large user - more than 2.24 million gallons - by $1,800, to $16,800, for a total bill of $27,200.
The authority initially planned to raise water rates 1 percent but backed off, according to Controller Gina DeRubeis.
The cumulative sewer increase for the four years ending with 2014 is about 58 percent.
