The City of Copperhill has been ordered to raise residential and commercial water and sewer rates by the Water and Wastewater Financing Board (WWFB).
The mayor and board of aldermen were told during their regular meeting Monday, September 20 that the current three-tiered system used to charge water and sewer customers will have to be replaced with new water and sewer rates that will gradually increase as part of a new four-year water and sewer rate plan.
From 2021 until July 2022, residential and commercial water customers inside the city limits will be charged $26 for the first 1,000 gallons of water and $6.75 per 1,000 gallons after that. Residential and commercial customers outside the city limits will be charged $44.04 for the first 1,000 gallons of water and $6.75 per 1,000 gallons after that.
The flat rate of $26 and $44.04 for both residential and commercial customers inside and outside of the cities limits will stay the same through July 2024 when it will increase to $26.20 and $44.20.
The rates per 1,000 gallons of water over the initial 1,000 gallons will also increase each year. For both residential and commercial customers inside and outside of the city limits, that charge will increase from $6.75 per 1,000 gallons to $6.90 in July 2022, to $7.25 in July 2023, and to $7.50 in July 2024.
Sewer rates will also increase for both residential and commercial customers. From 2021 until July 2022, the sewage charge for residential customers will be $18 for the first 1,000 gallons and $4.80 per 1,000 gallons after that. For commercial customers, the sewage charge will be $20 for the first 1,000 gallons and $5.25 per 1,000 gallons.
The flat rate of $18 and $20 for both residential and commercial customers will stay the same until July 2024 when it will increase to $18.20 and $20.20.
The rates per 1,000 gallons of sewage over the initial 1,000 gallons will increase each year for both residential and commercial customers. For residential customers, it will increase from $4.80 per 1,000 gallons to $4.95 in July 2022, to $5.25 in July 2023, and to $5.50 in July 2024. For commercial customers, it will increase from $5.25 per 1,000 gallons to $5.40 in July 2022, to $5.75 in July 2023, and to $6 in July 2024.
While the City of Copperhill replaced the water meters in 2019 and has since been better able to detect and fix water leaks as they arise, “hopefully if we submit how well that we’re doing now and improvements we’ve made, they (the State of Tennessee) will review” the situation so that the increases will not be permanent, said Mayor Kathy Stewart.
The City of Copperhill was referred to the WWFB upon the submission of its audit for its fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, because it met the statutory definition for a financially distressed municipal water and sewer system according to their report.
Stewart also informed the board that the Grand Avenue Sewer Replacement Project, which will replace the sewer line and add water flow meters behind the Talent Drug Company area between Grand Avenue and Ferry Street, will begin about a month earlier than expected on October 11, 2021, and is expected to be finished in May 2022.
Stewart said that the merchants in the area have been notified.
The project is being funded with $250,000 grant money that the board unanimously approved at their regular July meeting.