The Windham Town Council will continue a public hearing on setting sewer rates for South Windham at their Feb. 24 meeting before making a decision later that night.

The council is looking to update the rates in light of the debt created by the Little Falls Wastewater Conveyance, the $6.5 million project connecting South Windham to the Portland Water District’s treatment facility in Westbrook. A recent study commissioned by the town suggested options that included increases in the range of 40 to 80 percent, depending on how much of the debt service was picked up by the general fund.

The original public hearing on Feb. 10 did not draw any residents, though three residents and three officials from the Maine Correctional Center, which uses the sewer, attended a forum the night before in South Windham. Councilors felt another hearing session might elicit more response.

At the Feb. 10 meeting, Town Manager Tony Plante introduced the possibility of providing hardship relief to sewer customers overburdened by a rate increase, which could be as much as $23 a month. He is currently researching how other communities handle overdue sewer payments and hardship relief.

According to the study, if sewer users pay all of the debt service, average monthly rates will rise from $26.50 to $48.88. If 25 percent of the debt is picked up by the general fund through town-wide property taxes, the rate would rise to $42.88, and if the debt is split 50-50 between the users and general fund, the monthly rate would be $36.96.

Councilors held an impromptu debate on the sewer rate increase during the Feb. 10 public hearing. Donna Chapman, who attended the forum on Feb. 9, said she wants the general fund to pick up 25 percent of the debt service, arguing that the extra $23 or so a month would hurt some residents.

“That extra amount is going to get the camel’s back broken,” she said. “Some people don’t even have that some months.”

But Councilor Liz Wisecup said it may not be fair to ask non-sewer users in other parts of town to pick up the cost of the sewer upgrade. Residents would not receive any help from the town if something happened to their septic system, she said.

“We’ve got to treat everybody the same,” Wisecup said.

If all the debt service is laid at the feet of the South Windham sewer users, the average annual rate would be around $586, lower than Cape Elizabeth ($612) and Cumberland ($642) but greater than Gorham ($467) and Westbrook ($277).

The number is in line with other communities, said Town Councilor John MacKinnon. But the council has to consider the size of the rate increase as well, he said.

“It’s quite jump. That’s the adjustment we have to keep in mind,” said MacKinnon.