NEWS RELEASE Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Public Input needed for Water Rates Study
CHARLOTTE – A second round of upcoming public meetings offers Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Utilities customers their first chance to learn about and respond to alternative water and
sewer rate and fee structures that could be proposed to Charlotte City Council in early 2011.
Water officials continue taking their first comprehensive look at water & sanitary sewer rates
and fees since 1977. The utility’s goal is to recommend an updated rate structure that is
considered fair and equitable among different types of water/sewer customers, while
generating revenues required to operate the community-owned water and sewer system.
“To be clear, this is a review of how customers are charged for water and sewer services
they receive – not how much customers are charged,” explained Utilities Director Barry
Gullet. “It’s important to hear from customers. Any change in the methods used to charge for
service could affect residential, commercial, irrigation and other kinds of water customers in
different ways.”
Last month’s first set of countywide meetings sought public input related to the existing water
and sewer rate structure. This second series introduces potential rate & fee alternatives –
and impacts – for public feedback. Details will also be posted online within the next two
weeks. The public meeting schedule is as follows:
WEST MEETING - October 26 - 6 p.m. at Clanton Pavilion in Clanton Park, 3132
Manchester Ave.
CENTRAL MEETING - October 27 - 6 p.m. in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government
Center (1st floor Meeting Chambers), 600 East 4th Street. This meetings will be shown on the
GOVChannel (Time-Warner Cable channel 16) and streamed from www.charmeck.org &
www.cmutilities.com. An online rate study comment form is also available.
NORTH MEETING - October 28 - 6 p.m. at the Lee S. Dukes Water Treatment Plant, 7980
Babe Stillwell Road, in Huntersville.
SOUTH MEETING - November 3 - 6 p.m. in the South County Regional Library, 5801 Rea
Road.
EAST MEETING - November 4 - 6 p.m. at Hickory Grove United Methodist Church, 6401
Hickory Grove Road.
Fourteen community volunteers are serving on a Water/Sewer Rate Study Stakeholders
Advisory Group that will act as a sounding board during this process. Red Oak Consulting, a
division of Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., is the rate expert working with Utilities staff.
A rate structure recommendation will be shared with the Utilities Advisory Group, the City Council
Restructuring Government Committee and presented to City Council for consideration in
February 2011. Visit www.cmutilities.com for rate study details and updates.
