City to reduce water bills

Charles Poole looked at this.

We understand that the city after a year-long study is proposing new rates that do not correct the inequity of the city’s water rates. We have heard that the minimum monthly water rate would “drop $2 from next year’s approved rate of $19.90″ — according to the figures below, this means that the minimum water rate would actually be raised 19 cents from the current rate, which is probably already the nation’s highest. The monthly wastewater service charge would “drop” to $24.82 — a drop of only $1.03.

Also, there’s the new stormwater fees.

When compared with Henrico’s water rates, Richmond’s minimum water/sewer rates would still be over 3 times that of Henrico’s, and there was no mention of whether Richmond would eliminate the half/price discount given for high volume water usage.

This is pretty outrageous that the City spent a year studying this issue and still cannot adjust the water rates to be equitable for those who use little water and to promote conservation. Why can’t the city adopt the rate structure of Henrico, which purchases water from the city? Again, the rate structure that we are advocating is “revenue neutral” — drop the minimum billing by a third, offer a 38% discount for those who use 6 ccf or less, eliminated the high volume discount, raise the rates on water/ CCF to make up any difference.

Henrico County:
Bi-monthly minimum service charge: water — $9.00; wastewater –
$18.30
[billed once every two months, comparable to monthly service charge:
$4.50
water; $9.15 wastewater]
Basic water and wastewater rates are:
$2.08/CCF; wastewater rate is $2.20/ CCF
If you use 6 CCF or less you receive a discount rate of 38%: water
rate is
$1.29/CCF; wastewater rate is 1.35/CCF

Current Richmond City:
Monthly minimum service charge: water — $17.71; wastewater — $25.85
Basic water and wastewater rates are:
Volume 0-100 CCF water — 1.144/CCF; wastewater — 1.684/CCF
Volume 101-2000 CCF, water — 585/CCF; wastewater — 1.684/CCF
Volume over 2000 CCF, water — 467/CCF; wastewater — 1.684/CCF

Proposed Richmond City (according to Oct. 9, 07 Times Dispatch report)
Monthly minimum service charge: water — $17.90; wastewater — $24.82

Thanks,
Scott

>________________________________
>
>From: Skinner, Steven R. – City Council
>[mailto:Steven.Skinner@richmondgov.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 5:00 PM
>To: Skinner, Steven R. – City Council
>Subject: Council’s demand for lower city water fees gaining traction
>
>RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
>
>900 E. Broad Street, Suite 200 – Richmond, Virginia 23219 -
>www.ci.richmond.va.us
>
>Media Advisory
>
>IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>Tuesday, 9 October 2007
>
>Council’s demand for lower city water fees gaining traction
>
>Richmond Department of Public Utilities response to Council a first step
>
>(Richmond, Virginia) — Responding to nearly two years of Richmond City
>Council demands for a reduction in City water rates, the Richmond
>Department of Public Utilities (RDPU) submitted a report last night to
>Council during its informal session on Monday, October 8, 2007.
>
> “What we received yesterday does not reduce rates enough but
>was a good first step in response to Council’s demands for lower water
>and sewage rates on behalf of our homeowners and small businesses,” says
>William J. Pantele, President, Richmond City Council, Councilman 2nd
>District. “Council has been driving the need for lower rates for a long
>time now and we are happy to see some headway being made.”
>
> “We are pleased they are responding to the issues raised by
>Council and look forward to continue a greater fairness being
>established on behalf of the average household and small business,” says
>Pantele.
>
> “The genesis of the report submitted by RDPW began in 2006
>as a direct result of Council working on behalf of citizens to reduce
>water and sewer and change a rate structure that seemed to discourage
>and penalize water conservation,” says Pantele “This led to 2007 winter
>and spring Council budget proceedings that reviewed the RDPU portfolio
>and confirmed significant inequalities in fees being levied on the
>average homeowner and small business.”
>
> Also during the 2007 budget proceedings, Council put a
>temporary hold on a proposed City Administration Storm Water Utility Tax
>that would increase rates.
>
> “Water and sewage rates have to be cut before we start
>thinking about any new rates,” says Pantele. “Homeowners and small
>business are being forced to cover the costs of huge developments and
>corporations and there is an even greater need for equity and fairness
>than was seen last night.”
>
>CONTACT For more information, please President William J. Pantele,
>
> at 646.6532 or 677-4900.
>
>####
>