Clay Today staff
ORANGE PARK – The Clay County Utility Authority says will move to a monthly billing cycle and will create a tiered fee structure that increases in cost as water usage goes up in order to promote much needed water conservation.
The new fees go into effect Oct. 1 and monthly bills will begin to arrive in customers’ mailboxes about Nov. 1, said CCUA Executive Director Ray Avery.
"The idea is simple; the more you use, the more you pay," Avery said. "The proposed rate structure has four tiers. The first tier has the lowest rate, and provides a reasonable amount for water for essential use. As the amount of water used increases to the highest category, the volume charge increases significantly."
The proposed rates represent a 10.8 percent overall increase when considering the combined charges for water, wastewater and irrigation. Just the water base would rise about 5 percent, said Celeste Laffy, CCUA customer and public relations manager.
The Utility Authority Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed rates at 7 p.m. Sept. 20, then vote on the rates at its regular board meeting the next day at 2 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the CCUA office, 3176 Old Jennings Road.
However, the public can get more information on the rates sooner by attending one of two workshops on Aug. 19 at the CCUA office. The sessions are set for 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Taking effect Oct. 1, the tiered charges for residential customers start at $1.30 for each 1,000 gallons up to 6,000 gallons used, rise to $2.70 per 1,000 gallons up to 12,000 gallons and then increase to $3.50 for each 1,000 gallons up to 18,000 gallons. All users over 18,000 gallons will be charged $4.50 per 1,000 gallons. There is also a monthly base meter size fee that ranges from $9.30 (5/8 to ¾ inches) to $46.50 (1¼ inches) depending on the size meter the customer uses.
There is a separate fee structure for commercial customers. Avery said the new fee structures focus on irrigation because CCUA believes "wasteful irrigation represents an opportunity for substantial conservation benefits."
"It is important to understand that the issues we face today are much larger than how this affects a customer’s water bill. Having a clean, safe and economical water supply will influence the quality of life of our entire community," Avery said in a letter sent to CCUA customers.
Avery said the monthly bills will allow customers to identify leaks more quickly at a time when the demands on the Floridan Aquifer continue to increase. It’s possible the aquifer, which supplies all Northeast Florida’s drinking water, may not be able to meet demand in as little as 20 years, according to a recent study.
"It is important to understand that the issues we face today are much larger than how this affects a customer’s water bill. Having a clean, safe and economical water supply will influence the quality of life of our entire community," Avery said.
He noted there are alternative water supplies; however, they are extremely expensive and unpopular. They include:
• Withdrawing and treating water from local streams and rivers would be about 10 times more expensive than pumping water from the Floridan Aquifer.
• Withdrawing and treating water from the ocean, then pumping to homes would be about 50 times more expensive.
"It is in everyone’s best interest to defer those massive expenditures for as long as possible. The single best way to defer these costs is conservation.
"There are many ways we can all contribute to water conservation. The Authority’s primary focus will be continuing to expand our reclaimed water initiative and we will supplement the reclaimed system with storm water whenever practical. Our reclaimed water program currently conserves billions of gallons of drinking water every year."
CCUA is encouraging customers learn more about water conservation, and provided the following online resources:
• Conduct your own water use audit
www.clayutility.org/conservation/water_survey.aspx
• Review attractive landscaping techniques that minimize water use
www.floridaswater.com/waterwiselandscapes/index.html
• Receive your own conservation literature featuring other water savings ideas
www.floridaswater.com/waterconservation/index.html
A summary of the proposed rate structure may be reviewed at www.clayutility.org/monthly/proposed_rate_structure.aspx.