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Study Recommends Century Water And Sewer Rate Increase
August 4, 2009
A rate study commissioned by the Town of Century is recommending water and sewer rate increases for most customers and new fees for future customers.
The typical residential water bill for a customer using 3,000 gallons per month would increase from $12.45 to $15.95 if the town followed the recommendations in the study from the Florida Rural Water Association. The new $15.95 minimum charge would include 3,000 gallons; the current minimum water bill is $9 for 1,500 gallons.
Commercial customers would see their minimum jump from $9 for 1,500 gallons to $19.95 for 3,000 gallons.
Both commercial and residential customers would see an increase per 1,000 gallons over the 3,000 minimum to $2.78 to $3.16 per 1,000 gallons. The current additional charge per 1,000 gallons is $2.27. Institutions and churches would pay the residential rate.
Sewage rates would also increase if the water association proposal were to be approved by the town.
The current sewage rate is $13 for the first 6,000 gallons and $3.50 per additional $1,000 gallons for residential and commercial customers. For the first 3,000 gallons, the recommended rate is $12 for residential customers and $25.50 for commercial customers. Each additional 1,000 gallons of sewage would cost $3.
Under the rate proposal, a family using 8,000 gallons of water per month would see their water bill increase from $23.75 to $30.13, and they would see their sewage bill increase from $20 to $27. The total monthly increase for that family would be $13.38, or $160.56 per year.
A business using an average of 8,000 gallons per month would see their water bill jump from $23.75 to $34.13 and a sewage increase from $20 to $40.50. The total annual increase would be $370.56.
The Florida Rural Water Association Proposal recommends that the town also charge a “capacity” fee for new hookups, in addition to the $125 water connection fee and $1,000 sewage impact fee currently charged. The study does not offer a specific recommendation on the amount of the new fee.
The Town of Century has not increased water or sewage rates since 1995. The water association recommends that the town make yearly rate increases based upon the consumer price index.
Before considering any rate increases, the town will meet with a representative of the Florida Rural Water Association . That meeting has been tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25, but that date is subject to change. The exact date and time will be published in the Legal Notices on NorthEscambia.com’s classifieds page prior to the meeting.
Comments
8 Responses to “Study Recommends Century Water And Sewer Rate Increase”
I (like most people in this area) do not pay $80 for DSL, and I do not smoke, and I pay over twice as much for my water as I do for my cell. I have no intention of attending a meeting for two reasons 1) I have two small children and can not attend a meeting at 7PM concerning my water and 2) it would accomplish nothing. Other people in other towns do not have to attend meetings to keep their water bill at a reasonable rate. I would still like to know how the Bratt / Davisville water is broken down (per gallon?). It used to be listed on the bill, but now we are not given that information. All I know is that my water is my second highest utility (behind electric) and that I have no choice but to pay whatever the “business owner” decides. I hope if Century does this it is with good reason / merit, because I really don’t think our increases have been.
Water business is BUSINESS just like any other business, you have to have revenue to pay for overhead. You pay $80.00 for satellite or DSL, you pay $5.00 a pack for cigarettes, you pay for cell phones, gas that has no cap on high it can go but let the water rates go up and o boy…but you know what, you can live WITHOUT any of the above but the body CANNOT live WITHOUT water—look it up. Attend monthly meetings and educate yourselves on the business and it’s operating procedures and all the different testings the government mandates all systems to comply with and then pass judgement on the decisions to raise the rates. I will do without that aggrivating telephone and all it’s daily interruptions for my water to flow when I need it to cook my supper, wash my dishes, or just plain relax in a tub of warm water.
I surely hope the board members from Walnut Hill and Bratt don’t read this article. They will surely raise our rates, we already have the highest in the entire area.
I am a resident of Century, and to set the facts straight I am not whining. Seems funny how residents that are not in the city limits of Century always have something disrespectful to say about the citizens of this city. The way I see it if your not the one paying the bill or voting on what matters, you should keep your thoughts to yourself.
Now on to my thought on the matter of raising the water costs. If this needs to be done because of the city losing revenue in the water distrubution department, I’m for it. If it is being done to increase revenue due to negligent spending I’m against it.
That’s an odd, and unnecessarily complicated , pricing schedule. Is the goal to increase revenue due to increased operating costs? I don’t see anything in that plan that encourages and rewards water conservation efforts by either business or residential account holders, nor do I see a discount for senior citizens. There should really be a discount for low volume water consumers.
Boy I can just hear people lining up to whine about this increase already.
I cannot believe how cheap water and sewer rates are in Century.
In Baldwin County, Alabama, the sewer rate is a flat $54.50/month for each residential customer. While I am not quite sure of the water rates, they are at least double the amount Century customers will be paying.
It would be interesting to find out why utility costs differ so much in our immediate area.
Does anyone know the rates for the Bratt water system. It seems exceptionally high… even compared to the suggested hike for Century???