The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to postpone a vote on a proposal to hike water and sewer rates by more than 19% over three years.

The board now plans the vote on Dec. 10, which will be a week after runoff elections that will fill two vacancies on the commission.

The rate hikes would allow the county to issue about $200 million in bonds to help upgrade the drinking water storage tank at the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant, according to DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. The increases are also needed for watershed department operating expenses, the county’s chief financial officer has said.

Advocates are requesting shut-off protections for low-income households that have seniors, people with disabilities or children. Commissioner Ted Terry is also requesting an audit of the watershed department and the creation of a new position to advocate for people disputing their bills.

About the Author

Keep Reading

In a statement, Gov. Brian Kemp said the ruling “brings greater certainty to our state’s access to the water supply from Allatoona Lake.” To serve Atlanta’s growing suburbs, Georgia had requested in 2018 to increase its allowed daily withdrawals from the lake from 37.1 million gallons to 94 million gallons. (U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS/Facebook)

Credit: U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS/Facebook

Featured

People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Jenni Girtman