Drowning in new rates? Did your latest Beaufort water bill have a surprise increase?
Across social media platforms, residents have reported receiving elevated water bills, a few questioning the monthly charge because they say they’ve not increased their usage. And it’s true — despite use, the cost of residential water and sewer per 1,000 gallons is higher. However, demystifying rising costs for most customers is straightforward.
There are a few reasons some Beaufort and Jasper county customers have seen a spike in their recent water bills, including planned rate changes that went into effect in July, according to the Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority.
With inflation driving up prices of everything from groceries to gasoline, residential water and sewer rate increases are another brick on the load of a beleaguered local ratepayer. One residents on Nextdoor, an app for neighborhoods, reported their July bill was $50 higher than in June, when they actually used 3,000 gallons more of water. Others saw spikes between $20 and $30 in their July bills. And a few who commented mentioned knowing about the planned rate increases.
Beginning July 1, a 9% increase to a total monthly bill was expected for the average residential water and sewer customer, according to BJWSA’s FY2025 operating budget. The authority’s board of directors, which sets water and sewer rates, gave public notice, conducted a public hearing and held public meetings discussing proposed changes before solidifying rate increases laid out in BJWSA’s budget.
Recent rate changes are intended to recoup the cost of provided services and bring it closer in line with other utilities, said Jeff La Rue, BJWSA’s chief communications officer.
“Our costs have gone up significantly... and these rates reflect that,” La Rue said. “To provide service, depending on what, whether it’s chemicals, labor, construction costs ... they’ve, in some cases, increased by 100, 200%.”
Beginning July 1, the residential water charge per 1,000 gallons increased from $4.12 to $4.70 and the monthly basic facility charge for water rose from $10.50 to $12, according to BJWSA’s operating budget. The charge for sewer jumped from $7.15 to $7.51 per 1,000 gallons and the monthly basic facility charge for sewer rose from $16 to $17.50.
The recent hike of rates laid out in the authority’s budget is a clear contributing factor of a pricier July bill, La Rue said. But the season can also lead to an inflated monthly bill. Historically, June and July see the highest volume of water used monthly, which is mostly attributed to lawn irrigation.
La Rue said the authority has thousands of customers who, during dry parts of the season, use more than 600 gallons of water an hour when irrigating their property. That’s compared to a typical American who alone uses between 1,000 and 1,500 gallons a month.
For residential water and sewer customers whose water consumption is much higher average, the authority’s increased sewer cap could have affected their monthly bill. On July 1, the sewer cap jumped to 10,000 gallons a month, which is an increased cost from $66 to $92.60.
Previously, the authority’s sewer charges capped at 7,000 gallons a month, meaning a customer who went over that volume of water would only have to pay up to the 7,000-gallon rate. Out of BJWSA’s 69,000 customers, about 18,000 — or 26% — hit the 7,000 cap within the past 12 months.
Some customers have speculated meter-reading blips. La Rue said while it is possible, problems with electronic readings that result in higher-than-normal bills are “few and far between.”
To closely monitor consumption, EyeOnWater is a free app that allows BJWSA customers to track minute by minute water use and alert for possible leaks when it detects unusual use.
This story was originally published August 22, 2024 at 12:26 PM.
