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ECUA Water, Sewer And Sanitation Rates Increasing
August 30, 2013
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority approved rate increases at their Thursday meeting that amounts to just a few cents for sanitation customers to a couple of bucks per month for customers that also have ECUA water and sewer service.
Beginning with the new fiscal year on October 1, ECUA residential sanitation customers will see a 3.7 percent increase to cover a tipping fee increase at the Perdido Landfill and anticipated increases in costs related to the recycling program. The current rate of $18.66 per month will increase to $19.35 for sanitation service.
ECUA water and sewer resident customers will see a rate increase of 1.93 percent. For an average customer using 8,000 gallons of water per month, that is an increase of 52 cents per month for water and $1.01 for sewer.
More detailed ECUA residential water and sewer rates are as follows:
Water:
- Current residential rate is $10.48 for the base rate; this goes up to $10.68. Volume charge (per 1000 gals. Consumption) goes from $2.14 to $2.18.
- Current Lifeline rate (low income senior): Current base rate is $9.03; goes up to $9.20 (includes 6,000 gals. Consumption).
Wastewater:
- Current residential rate: $11.93 for the base rate (includes 2,000 gals. Consumption); goes up to $12.16; volume charge is currently $6.50, goes to $6.63.
- Current Lifeline Rate: $11.62 base, goes to $11.84 (includes 6,000 gals. Consumption).
The increased water and sewer revenues would go toward infrastructure improvements.
Comments
11 Responses to “ECUA Water, Sewer And Sanitation Rates Increasing”
Recycling programs have proven themselves to be feel good programs that cost more in fuel and labor than they generate in recyclable revenue. Many communities have discontinued them for these reasons. On tipping fees; ECUA should follow the lead of the large private haulers and haul to less expensive land fills than Escambia County trash mountain. They have something in Santa Rosa County that ECUA should look seriously at, It’s called private enterprise. There are multiple companies hauling household garbage in Santa Rosa, and the competition works to provide lower rates to the consumer. In short; ECUA, lets look at cutting expenses rather than raising rates. The consumers you are sticking it to aren’t getting pay raises, so why should you?
I am not sure how the board of ECUA….can justify taking more of taxpayers money on a decision that was poorly investigated. #1 you chose this company…#2 Is this company having problems? …not my problem…this is your problem due to lack of research in whom you chose to do business with. How can you justify more money in case they can’t support their contract with you…..Your taking our money on a just in case …they can’t anymore.?????????……when do we get our money back after ECUA banks hundres of thousands of dollars worth of interest…who makes the decision to give us our money back and who do you people think you are that you can just decide to raise our rates again…the garbage service has been cut in half… service doesn’t come close to what is use to be…garbage laying all around our streets….while ECUA drivers just keep going…no one seems to get out of their trucks anymore when they make a mess. I don’t how many times I have seen a dozen or more employees of ECUA standing around while one is working.. Who allows this board to do this and get away with it.. This is the most outrageous decision I have ever heard from this board….you should be investigated yourselves… Someone needs to make decisions for what is in the best interest of Escambia co tax payers….what a scam!! Shame on you ….whoever …..this whole thing smells bad and you know it!! This is not our fault……. it’s your problem you made a bad choice and you want us to pay for it…you need to fix it and not at the cost of Escambia Co taxpayers…By the way it isn’t the amount of the rate hike its HOW and WHY, you are taking it………… .Thank you…
Don’t forget FDEP is all over the company that supposedly does the recycling for ECUA for doing a poor job.
Or that they want to haul garbage to a neighboring county, that doesn’t want it, to a company that doesn’t exist.
As good as ECUA can be they have seemed confused or lost lately.
@dgm:
EXACTLY!
ANOTHER 3,7% INCREASE ????? Garbage pickup used to be twice a week — then ECUA cut back to once a week — Half the service for the same price — That was a 100% increase !!!!!! Where did that money go?
recycling cost should only be passed on to those who think they are doing something special by recycling. recycling is a lot of bull and cost a lot and it saves nothing, save a tree? trees are planted and harvested like fruits and veggies. no i do not and will not recycle, but i will pay for it so you goody two shoes can feel good about yourselves. it is just another scam to take money in the name of socalled good.
The poor workers NEED A RAISE ……..They haven’t seen one for years,,,,,,,I know because my Son works for them……….
Well here we go again. First Commissioner Robertson knowing he is a lame duck increases gas tax and now the ECUA board decides they want to be lame too. I know Larry Walker as a fine man but he just lost my support and any vote in the future. I don’t think he is going to run again anyway. This piggy bank is broke.
I suggest you let all of your officals know if they increase taxes they will not be voted back in.
“Customers will see a 3.7 percent increase to cover . . . anticipated increases in costs related to the recycling program.”
I see two problems with this reasoning.
First, how can they HONESTLY justify raising our rates based on “ANTICIPATED’ increases in anything? And, if the “anticipated increases” don’t come to fruition, do we get our money back?
Secondly, why is it that we are paying them more for recycling when they already get paid for OUR recyclable materials? They should be honored that we let them haul it away and get paid for it by the recyclers!
….just a few cents……..just bumps in the road…………what’s the difference?
gotta pay for those “green” trucks…gotta pay for a crew of 30 to watch a backhoe dig a hole…gotta pay for new buildings…gotta pay, gotta pay…who dat gonna pay?
You do…you do…