Kenai residents are using about 100,000 more gallons of water daily this winter than past winters, City Manager Rick Koch said at Wednesday’s Kenai City Council meeting.

Most winters the city uses about 800,000 gallons of water daily, but this winter the city is pumping more than 900,000 gallons to homes, Koch said.

“Not a small increase; it’s fairly substantial,” he said.

Koch estimates the city pays $25,000 to $35,000 more per month as a result of the increase.

Computer monitors, TVs, projectors, phones, laptops, DVD players, LCD screens and scanners were driven into the multipurpose building at the Soldotna landfill in Soldotna, hauled from minivans, trucks and cars and loaded onto pallets.

All the unused electronics were going to Anchorage to be recycled as part of the Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday.

“These are things that can be used and are being used ... and (they) are going back and serving the community,” Jane Stein said.

The line ran out the door of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Friday. It was thick with children and parents — all waiting for Santa.

“I want a rocking robot horsey that can carry my weight,” 5-year-old Aaliyah Bookey said.

It was the Kenai resident’s second time waiting with her mom and sister to see Santa in the city’s Christmas Comes to Kenai celebrations; though she was more excited to see his helpers.

“I get to see his funny elf,” she said, giggling. “He has pointy ears.”

Kenai residents who want to raise backyard chickens will have to apply for a conditional use permit for now, as Kenai City Council members chose Wednesday to postpone an ordinance that would open the doors for chicken ownership in city limits.

Council member Terry Bookey made a motion to refer the ordinance to the Planning and Zoning Commission, so the public and the commission could refine it. The council unanimously passed the motion.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will present their work on the ordinance in a March 6 council meeting.