The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District issued the following statement.
The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District (PRVWSD) Board of Directors on Thursday approved a rate increase for its water and sewer customers, effective for the October billing cycle.
The rate increase is necessary to offset the higher costs the state agency is continuing to pay its regional sewer providers and for increased costs for upkeep and maintenance of infrastructure, PRVWSD General Manager John Sigman told board members at its August meeting.
While PRVWSD supplies its residents with clean water from its own wells, all sewage is sent to be processed by regional providers. “Starting last year, we saw a big increase in what we pay to one of the regional sewer providers, which recently built a $110 million wastewater treatment plant,” Sigman said. “That’s in addition to past increases by the other regional sewer providers. In the past year, we paid $600,000 more to wastewater service providers than we did the previous year. We want to ensure that our water and sewer infrastructure is maintained in great condition for our customers, which is why this increase is necessary.”
The new increase will average out to about 15 percent per customer, through the line-item Regional Sewage Charge (RSC) that was added last year. PRVWSD’s RSC for FY 2023 is based on a $4.25 fee per 1,000 gallons of water used, up from $2.25. RSC rates currently charged in neighboring communities range from $2.00 to over $7.00.
Under the new PRVWSD rates, a customer who uses 6,000 gallons of water per month currently pays $82.50 per month for water and sewer. Beginning in October, that same customer would receive a bill for $94.50, an increase of
$12.00.
Sigman said that nearly half of PRVWSD’s customers use below 3,000 gallons per month and will see only an increase in the regional sewage charge. Sigman said that there will be no increase in the volumetric charges this year.
22 comments:
15% in a year. Somebody got a raise!
@12:07
Yup. From $125k a year to $250k
It’s a sweet gig for a high school grad (no college) with the right connections.
You mean the CRF welfare plan ?
It's high time the "state agency" was abolished and converted into a more accountable form of government. PRVWSD sits on a mountain of cash reserves, yet they're "forced" to raise rates.
and who makes 250K at PRWVSD ???
Shad needs to audit PRV.
That pipe still exists between Jackson and Rankin. You could spread your fixed costs over more volume if Jackson could just send you their sewage. I'm sure the feds have thought of that already.
The good news is it’s only going higher. The $110 million plant is more like $200+ million with the added pumps an delivery an discharge lines to slice the existing system away from Jackson. The bond payments escalate over the next few years. Butch Lee was sold a Bill of goods that they could refinance the debt before the escalation, lower payments and even get a check back. Oops. Inflation. Also, WW Treament is cheaper as you increase the scale. They decreased it by 50% and destabilized what was left of Jackson’s WW treatment. WRUA has built too much infrastructure to service too small a population. This is how Jefferson County Alabama went bankrupt. But hey, Rankin County doesn’t have to deal with Jackson anymore...until the year wake up and due over WRUA’s share of facility repairs for 30 years of use.
Sewer is an expensive utility to provide. Treatment plants cost a fortune to build and operate. Sewage lines must be maintained to prevent sewage from overflowing when it rains. Better to maintain than to end up with a dilapidated system that dumps raw sewer into the streets and yards.
The plant doesn't have the capacity to handle Jackson's sewage.
I can tell you that infrastructure materials are getting much higher. So rates must go up as well. PRVWSD could keep the rates real low, maintain nothing, and end up like Jackson. Everyone would gripe. I hate to tell you this, but it takes money to have nice stuff that works.
PRVWSD needs to be wise with their spending and efficient with it. They should eliminate waste. But this stuff ain't cheap and they are wise to make sure everything is properly funded. Just be sure to be good stewards of the money.
Shit gets expensive. Gives a whole new meaning to ain't worth shit.
If Jackson had not become such a hell hole, maybe this would not be required.
But here we are.
And yes, I am all for any accountably for those PRV crooks. They are unchecked and out of control power freaks.
"Shit gets expensive. Gives a whole new meaning to ain't worth shit." Very good point. Will have to re-evaluate my use of that phrase.
Rates are still cheaper than Brandon. Besides, look at Jackson if you want your rates to never go up or be less than they are now.
How is that working out for them?
Maintaining a system (pipes and pumps and the cost of materials) is not getting cheaper.
I don't like it either, but at the end of the day, how many people have bitched about $3.50 gas on this site in the last few weeks. Shut up and pay your damn bills you bunch of whiners.
PRV is accountable to no one & Sigman wants to keep it that way.
Heck if I made over $125K a year & answered to no one, I dang sure wouldn't rock my boat
Maintaining a system that is a year old. Looking at another 15% increase next year so Sigmans salary can keep up with inflation.
Yeh this is hogwash
"...all sewage is sent to be processed by regional providers. “Starting last year, we saw a big increase in what we pay to one of the regional sewer providers, which recently built a $110 million wastewater treatment plant,”
Why is General Sigman careful to not name the regional providers? Am I to infer from the posts above that he only has a high school education? Surely not. I assumed him to at least be an engineer. Only someone of an engineer's intellect would require all jon boats to have a bucket labeled 'trash' on board at all times.
Gots to pay for those new company Teslas.
to @7:23 Don Drane:
I assume the regional providers would be (1) City of Jackson (2) the new Rankin county treatment plant (3) the Madison County Wastewater treatment plant (4) maybe any sewer providers near the north end of the PRVWSD lease property.
FYI to all you fussing about the PRVWSD water/sewer rates. The District can't do what the municipalities do! Can't borrow from MSDH and//or MDEQ loan programs (2%± per year for 20 years) like every City around. Can't sell revenue bonds like Jackson and some others have done.
The PRVWSD has to pay as they make improvements! They can't pay for a $2M project over 20 years. Therefore, they have to have reserves to do this!
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