Water Services Joint Operating Board

About

In 2009 several area municipalities in northern Berrien County served by the St. Joseph water system approved a new renewable 30-year water contract that included a new system over site structure and established a new level of municipal cooperation.  Currently, the system serves approximately 13,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.  Under the 2009 Water Agreement the WSJOB is responsible for:

1. Setting the water rate for all water system customers; all water users are charged the same rate.  
2. Responsible for setting a rate sufficient to generate the revenue necessary to pay all costs associated with the operation and maintenance of the water plant, the routine repair and maintenance of the distribution system of the entire systems as well as, the repair and replacement of water plant capital assets. Each community then establishes its own separate water rates to fund the installation and replacement of that community’s own water mains. 

The 2009 agreement also makes it possible for the water system to obtain funding at favorable rates through the State of Michigan revolving loan program for improvements to the St. Joseph Water Plant, including construction of a new intake, electrical upgrades and filter replacements in 2011, a new high service pump station, reservoir improvements and chemical feed upgrades in 2020 and pretreatment and architectural improvements that are planned in 2023.

Meetings

The Water Services Joint Operating Board meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. at the St. Joseph Water Treatment Plant, 1701 Lions Park Drive.

Membership

The six member Water Services Joint Operating Board (WSJOB) consists of three (3) members from the City of St. Joseph and one (1) member from each of the three townships (Lincoln Charter Township, Royalton Charter Township and St. Joseph Charter Township).  Members serve a two-year term.