By Stacia Kalinoski

EUGENE, Ore. -- A rate increase could be on the way for EWEB customers. But first, officials want your input.

EWEB is hosting a public hearing March 16 on their campus, in their north building, at 6:30 p.m. They're proposing to increase electric rates 1.9 % and water rates 7.3 percent.

In total, that would end up costing the average customer about $3 more a month. EWEB says the extra money is crucial to complete capital projects and upgrade the city's water system.

"It's not necessarily the best time to be doing a rate increase, but by doing it now we save by not having to invest even more money in the future by deferring maintenance and infrastructure improvements," said EWEB Communications Director Joe Harwood.

Harwood says if customers don't approve a rate increase now, the issue will likely come up again this fall.