Water Rate Hike Goes Above and Beyond

Winnsboro Up Less Than a Dime, Ridgeway OK’s $1

RIDGEWAY – Town Council gave final reading May 14 to a $222,840 general fund budget and a $364,636 water and sewer fund budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, passing the budget without dissent. As a companion piece to the upcoming budget, Council also passed final reading of an ordinance raising water rates $1 per 1,000 gallons across the board.

The rate increase roughly corresponds with what Councilman Doug Porter said was a 98 cent per 1,000 gallon increase being levied on Ridgeway from the Town of Winnsboro, their single supplier of potable water. However, as Winnsboro’s Assistant Town Manager Lorraine Abell pointed out to The Voice last month, Winnsboro’s rates did not go up quite so much.

According to a March 31 letter to Ridgeway from Winnsboro Mayor Roger Gaddy and Town Manager Don Wood, Winnsboro’s rates, effective July 1, are going up only .098 cents – less than a dime – per 1,000 gallons.

Ridgeway Mayor Charlene Herring said this week that she did not know if Council would pass a new ordinance to adjust the rates, or merely let stand the rates passed last week.

According to the ordinance passed unanimously May 14, Residential water customers inside the Town limits will see their rate for the first 1,000 gallons go up to $16, and will pay $6.07 for each additional 1,000 gallons. Residential customers outside the Town limits will be paying $21 for the first 1,000 gallons and $7.32 for each additional 1,000 gallons.

Commercial water rates inside the Town limits are going up to $19 for the first 1,000 gallons and $6.07 for each additional 1,000. Those rates outside the Town limits will be $24 for the first 1,000 gallons and $7.32 for each additional 1,000 gallons.

Residential sewer rates for customers inside the Town limits will increase to $13 for the first 1,000 gallons and $5.42 for each additional 1,000 gallons. Outside the Town limits, those rates are going up to $14 for the first 1,000 gallons and $6.57 for each additional 1,000 gallons. The flat rate for residential sewer customers will now be $26.

Commercial sewer rates inside the Town limits are increasing to $17 for the first 1,000 gallons and $5.57 for each additional 1,000 gallons. Outside the Town limits, those rates are going to $20 and $6.57, respectively.

Winnsboro increased its wholesale water rate to $4.618 per 1,000 gallons, according to the March 31 letter from Winnsboro to Ridgeway.

 

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