PORT ALLEN -  Residents in West Baton Rouge Parish will soon be paying a couple of dollars more for sewage. 

This comes after a state-sponsored rate study initially recommended a 95 percent hike, West Baton Rouge Parish President Jason Manola said city leaders fought for the 15 percent increase that was given.

The parish voted to approve the ordinance, which would lead to the first sewage rate increase since 2008.

West Baton Rouge Parish President Jason Manola told WBRZ that customers typically use about 6,000 gallons and will see about a $3.54 per month increase. The hike only applies to customers on the parish sewer system, while towns like Addis and Brusly and the city of Port Allen won't be affected.

The money the increase would bring in would go towards helping maintain or replace aging sewage treatment plants.

The plan was funded by millions of dollars in grants. Parish officials say any extra money will go toward replacing infrastructure.

"What the program does is actually take 10 outdated past useful life systems and decommission them and put them in one regional plant with a river discharge, which again is more economically friendly than discharging 10 different plants to local canals and local things of that nature," the parish president said.

The finance director said every year officials will reevaluate whether an increase is needed or if they can supplement with sales tax, like they're doing right now to cover any shortfalls.