HomeMy Public PortalAbout20130509_WaterandSewerTieredRates2013.pdf Water/Sewer Tiered Rates
Mayor and Council,
I would like the Mayor and Council to look at the 2012 Yearly Consumption; look
on the first Tier of each category; (Tier 0-3000) there is no charge for the water
being used. The Total Consumption for the first Tier of the 4 categories is
(109,081,000 Million Gallons of Water) which is being used but not paid for. This
is a lot of water that we do not collect any revenue for. In 2012 we had pumped,
and treated, from all 3 of our Wells, a total of (309,480,000 Million Gallons) of
safe drinking water. If you look at these two totals, it is a bit of a shock knowing
we allow the water to be used for free of charge. I got the 2012 Consumption info
from the Water Tiered Rate Comparison (2012 data) sheet; it is simple
mathematics. I will send a copy with this letter.
By this data sheet, we have more water bills that are generated in the first (0-
3000) of the tiered rates than in any of the other tiers; I keep hearing the Council
wants to increase the other tier rates. We cannot keep allowing the (3,000 and
above) tiered rates to compensate the free water in the first tier. If we keep this
up, the Water/Sewer Dept. will never get ahead. I am really surprised the State
hasn’t figured out what we are doing, or maybe they have. Since we are in the
Red Zone they could slap us with a huge reduction in our Water Withdrawal
Permit. If you do the dollar amounts 1.00 or 2.50 in the first tier (0-3,000) you can
see what it would generate in revenue. The Water/Sewer Dept. needs to be a self-
sustaining enterprise and upgrading our infrastructure as needed; to do so, we
cannot continue giving our water and sewer revenue away for free of charge.
George Reese
Manager W/S