Atlantans fighting proposed water fee increase
The Atlanta City Council’s Utilities Committee has a plan in place to raise water rates by 27.5% this year and roughly 12.5% for each of the next three years. Understandably, Atlanta residents aren’t pleased.
The increased revenue would go toward a $4 billion project to improve the city’s water and sewer system. Atlanta has been showcased as a city in dire need of repair in those areas, so the plan has some merit. In addition, the higher rates would likely help to curb usage and help keep more water in the system.
Water usage by Atlanta residents is a rather small piece of the problem, but anything to help people conserve would be a good thing. On the other hand, the rate of those increases seems a bit insane, doesn’t it? The result would be more than an 80% increase in rates in just four years. You’d think there would be a better way.
Tags: repairs, sewer system, water rates
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
reduced consumption = increased rates
REVENUE NEUTRAL!
BGAAAAWWKKKKKKKKK!
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:17 am
Chicken Little has a point. Didn’t another country around there just raise rates 15% just to cover the loss in revenue from conservation?
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:45 am
Seems like if this increase fell on the highest volume users (aka usually not residential) all goals could be met without killing the little guy.
May 24th, 2008 at 7:19 am
rkolter Says:
Didn’t another country around there just raise rates 15% just to cover the loss in revenue from conservation?
–
Alabama?
BGAAAAAWWWKKKKKK!
May 27th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I should have said ‘County’ and not ‘Country’.
May 27th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Love the blog. I keep track of it in my rss reader.
I have a strong interest in the Great Lakes (Ohio being my home state, though now a NY resident) and I thought I’d pass along something that might interest you. The states surrounding the GLs are working on an interstate compact to prevent GL water from leaving the basin.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-water-warsmay27,0,2555872.story
I’m really interested to see how the Tennessee River issue works out. Keep up the great work!
June 24th, 2008 at 11:47 am
everyone hates rate increases…but we have to look at this logically. without substantial rate increases…the general public will not actually change their behavior much on water use. the effect fuel prices have had on changing behavior are exactly the same. without 4 a gallon gas and almost 5 a gallon diesel….people wouldn’t be changing their behavior. i’m no fan of rate increases, and in the fuel case…very few vehicles exist to help me change my behavior other than the vw tdi diesel jetta and the toyota prius. in water though this is a very different issue, in changing one’s useage behavior.
i applaud atlanta for actually taking some real action to their terrible, leaky infrastructure. it has to be paid for somehow residents. somehow it either is coming in the form of a new tax or rate increase or a scaling back of govt services to free up money. personally i’d rather have some control over my new increase. meaning i can scale back my water useage to save money. it’s a win/win as far as fixing a long standing issue is concerned. it helps re-enforce proper sustainable water useage. if it comes in the form of a new tax….you have no control to curb it’s impact on you. you just have to pay it. if they have to scale back govt services, which should be done anyways, but that is another topic for another time…..which users of govt services is willing to give up their services they want? the low income people? keeping up the roads? the neighborhoods that want strong police presence? the list goes on and on. think about it, which way is the better of the three.
either way things have to be fixed and the residents are going to pay for it. stop whining people and let’s fix the problems.