Cobb County plans another water and sewer rate hike

By Mary Lou Pickel

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Water and sewer rates are expected to rise again in Cobb County, part of an ongoing rate increase through 2012.

Last year Cobb County Commissioners approved a series of rate increases over five years, but they are required to revisit and vote on the increases each year.

If commissioners approve the expected increase at their meeting Tuesday, a homeowner using 7,000 gallons of water per month would see their bill rise about $3.16, according to the county's rate schedule. That represents an 8 percent increase in water rates and a 4 percent increase in sewer rates. The base charge of $7 will not change.  The rate increase would go into effect Jan. 1, 2010.

"While it is difficult to raise user fees at all in this economic climate, we believe that there are several factors that combine to make this action appropriate," wrote Steven McCullers, head of Cobb County's water system.

The rate hike is needed to pay the higher costs of fresh water charged by Cobb County's water supplier, McCullers said. It is also needed to maintain the county's water system and pay for big improvements, such as construction of a $305 million deep sewer tunnel in south Cobb.

Next year, Cobb County would charge $66.23 for a residential user of 7,000 gallons. McCullers said that is less than bills in other metro Atlanta counties. He said the same service in Gwinnett is $68.89 and in Cherokee it's about $79.80.

The Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority is scheduled to increase the price it charges Cobb County for water by 11.5 percent next year. That follows an increase of 38.5 percent last year.

The water authority's costs have increased because of construction of the Hickory Log reservoir in Cherokee County and new federal water treatment standards.