Rush Township residents of Hometown and Lake Hauto will see a jump in their sewer bills.

On Thursday, township supervisors voted to increase Lake Hauto quarterly fees from $124 to $175.

For those on the Hometown sewer, the rates will rise from $148 to $190 per quarter.

Increases begin on July 1.

Lake Hauto residents had been paying $144 per quarter until September when the rate was decreased by $20.

“We dropped it because the loans were paid off and the grinder pumps substantially are down from 50 pumps a year to 10 pumps a year,” former supervisor Shawn Gilbert said. “Why is it going up $51 per quarter?”

Chairman George Gerhard said that with fixed costs — and not incidentals like engineering fees and fuel costs — the Lake Hauto budget would operate at a deficit of $27,000 each year if the rates remained at $124.

“Something is not right here,” Gilbert said, “because by us dropping it $20, everything was still very solid.”

Gerhard said that it wouldn’t be if the rates aren’t increased.

“You’d be losing money,” Gerhard said, after breaking down the numbers to show the deficit if rates aren’t increased.

Solicitor Bill McMullen added that the Nesquehoning Sewer Authority, which treats the Lake Hauto sewage, increased its rates last year. The Tamaqua sewage plant, which treats Hometown’s sewage, also raised its rates.

Hometown rates had been $178 per quarter until they were dropped by $30 in September.

The board voted unanimously to raise fees to $190 per quarter.

“Again, this is the same reason — the numbers,” Gerhard explained.