City water rates could increase

By Cindy Landrum  

OCTOBER 20, 2011 9:09 a.m. (0)

Greenville sewer rates are likely going up.
The Greenville City Council is considering two options for the increase that would take effect in January when the Greenville Water System converts to monthly billing.
The first option would be a 5 percent increase each year until 2016.
The second option would have the city going to a schedule based on the volume of water a customer uses beginning in January 2012. Rates would increase 4 percent each year until 2016.
Under both options, the city would return to inflationary rate adjustments beginning in 2016.
City officials say the rate increase is necessary for the city to shore up its aging sewer system.
The city has 329 miles of sewer pipe that averages 75 years of age, 25 years past the useful life of clay pipe. Some pipes are more than a century old.
The deteriorating pipes allow rainwater to get into the sewer system, taking up capacity. In some parts of the city, especially downtown, the city has to upgrade its sewer system to allow for new development.
The city is considering issuing bonds for $8.76 million for sewer improvements and a citywide sewer system study to identify problem areas and capacity. Now, it takes four to six months for the city to determine if an area of potential development has enough sewer capacity.
The city’s sewer rates are now based on meter size and do not take into account how much water a customer uses.
A residential customer who uses less than 2,666 gallons of water a month now pays $3.93. Under the 5 percent option, that customer would pay $4.78 per month in July 2015. In the volume rate option, the same customer would pay $4.60 a month in July 2015.
The difference is more noticeable for commercial customers.
A commercial customer with an 8-inch meter now pays $1,051.83 per month. Under the 5 percent option, the customer would pay $1,278.51 per month in July 2015. The volume rate option would bill the same customer $1,230.49 per month in July 2015.
Options considered by the council in August had some commercial customers paying 50 percent increases under a volume-based schedule.