MOUNT VERNON — The Mt. Vernon City Council approved a water rate increase Tuesday night for the villages of Woodlawn, Belle Rive, Bluford, and Waltonville, as well as the Dix-Kell Water Commission, and Northeast Water Company.

City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel said the one-year increase for bulk users is being passed on from the Rend Lake Conservancy District.

Bechtel says the situation is the same as last year where RLCD won’t let the City of Mt. Vernon know their rates until the end of February, but Mt. Vernon has to inform their bulk customers of the new rates the next day.

She says she does not expect the increase to be any more than 13 cents per 1,000 gallons.

The council also approved resolutions calling for the rezoning of agriculture property on Illinois Highway 37 and another at 9391 East Illinois Highway 15.