City of Augusta raising its water rates next week
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A 4.5% rate increase will take effect in a little over a week for Augusta water customers, nearly three months after the water system was shut down for days in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene so the system could be repaired.
The rate hike, approved by the Augusta Commission, “is necessary to address rising operational costs, infrastructure upgrades, and ongoing investments to ensure the long-term reliability of Augusta’s water system,” the city said Monday in a news release issued just before the Christmas holiday.
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For the average residential customer using 5,000 gallons of water per month, the change will mean an increase of about $2.23 each month, the city said.
CITY STATEMENT
Rate increase: You can go online to learn more
- “Augusta Utilities values transparency and is committed to keeping customers informed,” the city of Augusta said in a news release. “Additional details about the rate adjustment, including FAQs and resources to help manage water use and reduce costs, are available at https://www.augustaga.gov/2771/Utilities or by ing our customer service team at 706-821-1851.”
“This rate adjustment reflects our dedication to sustaining a solid water system for current and future generations,” said Utilities Director Wes Byne. “The funds will critical projects such as pipeline replacements, water treatment upgrades, and emergency preparedness to better serve our growing community.”
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A couple of days after Helene hit the city on Sept. 27, city officials said the water system had to be shut down because too much debris was clogging the intake lines. It didn’t help that the pumps were running on generators because the electric service was out.
The outage lasted anywhere from 24 hours to days, depending on a customer’s location, and was followed by a boil order in case dirt and bacteria had seeped into pipes that were under low pressure.
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The hike also comes as electric customers are dealing with a series of rate increases from Georgia Power, including a 3.5% hike that takes effect Jan. 1 – on top of separate increases when Unit 3 and Unit 4 went online at Plant Vogtle. There was also an increase in summer 2023 that was blamed on higher fuel costs.
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