Atlantans will pay 12.5 percent more for water, sewer

Atlanta homeowners angry about Monday’s City Council vote to raise property taxes have another reason to be unhappy with City Hall.

Starting July 1 — Wednesday — water and sewer bills are going up 12.5 percent.

The council voted in June 2008 to raise those rates in each of the next four years to keep afloat Clean Water Atlanta, the city’s $4 billion program to overhaul its aging sewer system and improve water quality. The new rates also affect some customers in south Fulton County and Sandy Springs.

Business owner and city homeowner Tim Mitchell was unaware of the increase. He was livid, saying many Atlantans can’t afford the increase and will lose their homes to foreclosure.

“This is unbelievable,” said Mitchell, 41, who owns a three-bedroom home in Virginia-Highland. “[The city] is acting like we’re in good times. Don’t they understand we’re going through the worst housing market in our history. They’re socking it to us again.”

The city has a program funded through donations and grants that helps low-income families who meet various guidelines and are having trouble paying their water and sewer bills. For more information, call 404-885-1889 or go to www.southeastenergy.org.