The Fayetteville City Council is considering implementing a three-tiered rate structure for residential water billing that will meet metro Atlanta requirements for water conservation. If adopted, low to moderate users will see no difference but high-end users will pay more per gallon of water used.

The first reading of an amendment that would create the three-tiered rate scale was heard Nov. 17. Referencing Water Conservation Action No. 1 adopted by Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) to be implemented by all 16 district counties, city Assistant Finance Director Ellen Walls said in Nov. 8 memo that the goal of conservation pricing is to reduce excessive discretionary water use, especially outdoor irrigation by making water use increasingly more expensive.

The proposed change in the water rate structure pertains to the use of more than 20,000 gallons per month.

If adopted, the current rate of $12 for up to 2,000 gallons would remain intact. The same would hold true for water usage over 2,000 gallons, where the current cost is $2.40 per 1,000 gallons over the established 2,000-gallon limit.

The change establishing a third tier involves water usage that exceeds 20,000 gallons.

At that threshold, the rate would change to $2.64 per gallon, or 110 percent of the regular rate, for every 1,000 gallons used.

The increase for water usage over 20,000 per month is designed specifically to encourage water conservation and to comply with Water Conservation Action No. 1.

“The largest single problems in the Atlanta area is water and water quality. This is an initial attempt by ARC to have people become more aware of water conversation,” said Mayor Kenneth Steele. “This is a small thing we can do to help with conservation.”

In her Nov. 8 memo, Walls said that in order to meet the year 2030 conservation goals all metro districts should implement a rate structure with a minimum of three tiers by 2006.

The city council will hear the second reading of the proposal at its Dec. 1 meeting.

login to post comments