Raleigh delays tiered water rates

Raleigh, N.C. — The municipal water system won't start charging people based on their usage until next summer, officials said Tuesday.

Tiered water rates, which carry a higher cost for above-average consumption, were supposed to be implemented in December, but the City Council voted to delay the program until next July to test a billing system that was installed to handle the new rate structure.

The city decided last year to implement the tiered rates as a way to encourage water conservation during a record drought.

The city will continue bimonthly billing for water and sewer service through July 5, 2010, when monthly billing will begin.

In place of the tiered water rates, the City Council voted 5-3 to tentatively approve an amended water and sewer rate structure that includes a 17 percent rate increase approved in April.

The council is expected to take a final vote on the amended rates at its Nov. 3 meeting.

The City Council also voted Tuesday to reverse a planned annexation in northeast Raleigh.

The Berkshire Downs neighborhood, which is located off Perry Creek Road east of Capital Boulevard, has fought the city's effort to annex it. Residents argued that, with the down economy, they couldn't afford the cost of added property taxes and new water and sewer lines.

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Latest Comments

"Hey retroconsultant: Large families aren't being punished, they're being asked to pay their FAIR SHARE. They already have everyone without kids paying school taxes to transport and educate all the little darlings they spit out with great regularity - they should at least be willing to pay for the water to bathe their angels. - paulinnc"

I'm willing to pay my for the water that my family and I use. What I object to is paying more per gallon for the water that my family uses.

I'm okay with it as long as everybody is treated the same fair way.

Water is a usage based charge. It isn't a fixed amount per household. Everybody should pay the same per gallon charge.

DontLikeTheSocialistObama
October 20, 2009 7:18 p.m.

Hey retroconsultant: Large families aren't being punished, they're being asked to pay their FAIR SHARE. They already have everyone without kids paying school taxes to transport and educate all the little darlings they spit out with great regularity - they should at least be willing to pay for the water to bathe their angels.

paulinnc
October 20, 2009 6:31 p.m.

Hey: TarheelsDontLikeEdwards - all you do is whine. You could always move to South Carolina and eat roadkill - it's cheaper than the supermarkets and the taxes are so much less there!!!

paulinnc
October 20, 2009 6:27 p.m.

It is the job of the City Council (and the County Commision) to ensure that we have a sufficient amount of water to carry us through a drought.

It is NOT the job of the city Council to extract every penny from the populace by creative charging.

Most of the cost of water systems is for the infrastructure, not the usage. Large families should not be penalized.

retroconsultant
October 20, 2009 6:13 p.m.

Tiered rates unfairly penalize families.

The larger the family the more that you are penalized.

Tiered rates are great if you're single.

Tiered rates also penalize those who work from home helping the environment by not driving to and from work everyday.

Those who work from home will be billed at a higher rate because the use of the toilet and drinking water during the day will go against their home bill instead of the employers bill if they were working in an office.

Tiered water billing is just as ludicrous as the garbage disposal ban that was rescinded by the city council.

DontLikeTheSocialistObama
October 20, 2009 5:53 p.m.