New rate increases for Emerald Coast Utilities Authority water, sewer and sanitation customers took effect yesterday. The ECUA Board approved a 2.3% rate increase for water and sewer. The proposed increase to a household with an average consumption of 6,000 gallons would be an increase of 64 cents per month. For sewer, the increase will be about a dollar a month. Sanitation collection rates will increase 5%. For single family residential customers with one 90-gallon or smaller container, the sanitation rate will increase 91 cents.