Residents in Northampton, Coplay, North Catasauqua, parts of Whitehall Township and other outlying areas will see a slight increase in their water use bills this coming fall.

News of the rate hike came at the March 20 meeting of Northampton Borough Council.

The rate increase is minimal, amounting to $1 per month.

"I have been informed by the water authority that there will be a small rate increase effective October 1, 2014," borough Manager Gene Zarayko said.

Council had no comment on the rate hike.

In other business, council unimously agreed to grant permission to St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 19th Street & Lincoln Avenue, to barricade 19th Street, from Ridge Alley to Lincoln Avenue, April 13, noon to 4 p.m., for the Easter Egg Hunt.

Zarayko said the event will take place on church property and, he added, "There will be a lot of youngsters in the area."

Councilman Keith Piescienski, public works chairman, reported the green St. Patrick's decor and shamrocks have been removed from light pole standards on Main Street and have been replaced with Easter decorations such as eggs, baskets with eggs and Easter bunnies

Also during the meeting, it was announced public works department personnel will begin preparing the baseball fields for the upcoming coming season. Personnel, however, are waiting for the grounds to dry up.

Council also learned a baseball caused a blockage recently at the borough's waste water treatment plant.

"Scott Gillespie, our waste water treatment plant supervisor, notified me that there was a sump pump blockage at one of the main basins at the plant," Zarayko said. "It was discovered that a baseball had entered the system and was lodged in the pump."