A recently completed water and wastewater rate and strategic planning study (PDF) recommends several changes to the city’s current utility rates and structure. Under the recommended rate structure, more than 90% of single-family residential customers will see their bill reduced on average by $7 per month. The comprehensive study was conducted by Raftelis, a utility and public-sector consulting firm, and includes a 10-year financial outlook. If approved, rates would be effective on bills issued on or after Oct. 1.
Public comments will be heard at the Feb. 17 City Commission meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall, 301 S. Ridgewood Avenue. Prior to the meeting, comments can be emailed to comments@codb.us.
Highlights of the report include:
- Proposed rates are based on a revenue neutral methodology, which means recommended rates would generate the same amount of revenue as the existing monthly retail rates.
- Proposed rates are projected to remain competitive and slightly below average when compared to the rates charged by neighboring utilities.
- The proposed rate structure removes the minimum 1,000 gallons of water and 1,000 gallons of sewer usage in monthly bills.
- In the proposed rate structure, water users would be rewarded for their conservation efforts, which is required by St. Johns River Water Management District.
- Proposed rates differentiate between customer classes for base charges and volumetric rates (single-family residential, multi-family and commercial).
- Proposed rates promote fairness among residential user classes by charging the base fee for multi-family uses on a “per dwelling unit” basis in lieu of meter size to be consistent with the way single-family residential accounts are charged.
- It is recommended that the city adjusts its reclaimed water fees and structure in order to recover the actual cost of providing reclaimed water service.
- Adjustments are recommended to miscellaneous fees to reflect the full cost of providing these services to existing and prospective customers.
- Adjustments are recommended to commercial impact fees based on meter size of the domestic service line instead of by the number of plumbing fixtures units within a structure. If approved, these changes would be effective July 1.
- The last time service rates were modified other than the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment was in 2004.