Fayetteville City Council members Dec. 1 voted to approve a new three-tiered structure for residential water customers. The new rates are in compliance with metro water conservation standards and will affect only high-end water users.

The change in the water rate structure pertains to the use of more than 20,000 gallons per month. As adopted, the current rate of $12 for up to 2,000 gallons remains intact. The same will hold true for water usage over 2,000 gallons, where the current cost is $2.40 per 1,000 gallon over the established 2,000-gallon limit.

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

At that threshold, the rate will 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 is designed specifically to encourage water conservation and to comply with Water Conservation Action No. 1, established by Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC).

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 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 at the council’s Nov. 17 meeting. “This is a small thing we can do to help with conservation.”

login to post comments