Columbia water and sewer bills are likely to be more expensive next year. How much?
It looks like city of Columbia water and sewer customers could soon be paying more for services.
Columbia City Council is in the midst of putting together its budget for the 2022 fiscal year, and as currently proposed it would include a 5.2% increase on sewer and water rates. The city has to pass its spending plan for the 2022 budget year by June 30.
The city did not approve a water and sewer rate increase in the current 2021 budget, passed last June in the throes of the coronavirus pandemic. The last rate hike came in the previous budget year, when the price of water and sewer services went up 7%. City paperwork indicates water and sewer rates in Columbia have gone up an average of 4.3% per year since 2008.
Under the proposal, the average residential customer who lives in the city limits, one who uses about 6,000 gallons of water per month, would see their combined water and sewer bill rise from $64.55 per month to $67.79 per month.
The average in-city residential water bill alone would rise to $23.81 for a customer who uses roughly 6,000 gallons.
According to city records, that would be less than the average residential water bills in places like Lexington ($33.67) and Charleston ($25.17), but higher than those in Aiken ($17.65) and Charlotte ($20.99).
Meanwhile, the average in-city residential sewer bill in Columbia would go up to $43.98. That would be lower than Charleston ($81.66) and Charlotte ($54.44), but higher than places such as Cayce ($27.95) and Lexington ($41.43).
Mayor Steve Benjamin, who is not seeking reelection this year, said he plans to support the rate increase, as the city continues to work on improvements to its aging infrastructure.
“It’s a necessary investment in the future of our system,” Benjamin told The State. “The cost of capital is historically low, and we need to take advantage of it. The reality is, if you don’t make a $5 improvement in the system now, it becomes a $500 problem later. So this is a thoughtful and smart investment that I support.”
District 4 Councilman Daniel Rickenmann, meanwhile, said he’s not in favor of a rate hike. He is among three candidates running for mayor this year.
“Do I think we need an increase this year? No, I think we should wait until we are truly out of the woods (from the COVID-19 pandemic) and people have had a chance to recover,” Rickenmann told The State.
It is an interesting moment for the city to consider the 5.2% rate increase for water and sewer. City staff noted recently that there are more than $14 million in past due water and sewer balances currently. Much of that debt accrued between March 2020 and February 2021, when the city suspended water disconnections for nonpayment during the doldrums of the pandemic. The city has since resumed disconnecting customers for nonpayment and has instituted payment plans to help customers catch up.
Councilman Howard Duvall said a rate increase would enable Council to tackle more water and sewer infrastructure projects.
“I think it had to be done,” Duvall said. “We’ve had increases in costs, and there are some projects that are very important to economic development. Five percent is a very modest increase.”
This story was originally published May 4, 2021 at 12:52 PM.
