Eau Claire To Charge Extra For ‘Oversized’ Graves

The city of Eau Claire will begin charging an extra $200 to dig what officials call “oversized” graves for larger caskets in the city’s cemeteries.

Todd Chwala, Eau Claire superintendent of parks, forests and cemeteries, said the city has received more requests for oversized graves in the past five years. He said that rising obesity rates probably plays a role, but city officials don’t generally know why the graves need expanding.

Either way, Chwala said that the city needs to recoup its costs.

“If we have to open up a grave larger than the standard size there, it takes more time. There’s more shoring equipment needed, planking, etc.,” he said.

He said it also alters the number of graves that will fit in either of the city’s two cemeteries.

“When there’s an oversized, that means, generally, the lot adjacent to one side or the other would certainly not be an option for a full, traditional burial then,” he said. “It would be available for cremation burials, but it does impact our footprint, certainly.”

The standard size for a grave site is 41 inches wide by 100 inches long. An oversized grave is an extra 7 inches wide and 13 inches long.