Higher water, sewer bills proposed in West Columbia

Residents in West Columbia and nearby areas could be paying much more soon for water and sewer service.

A series of increases was recommended Tuesday to pay for rising costs and improvements to lessen sewer spills into the Congaree River.

The package proposed would increase the typical monthly bill of city homeowners by $4.34 to $31.35 while the same tab for those in surrounding neighborhoods would rise from $47.26 to $61.95.

Typically, raises are more for neighborhoods outside the community since those residents don’t pay city taxes.

Higher increases are suggested for stores, offices, apartments and other businesses as commercial service costs are reallocated, a change consultant Bill Bingham said is overdue.

West Columbia serves a fifth of Lexington County’s 275,000 residents, city officials estimate.

It’s up to City Council to decide if homeowners and businesses will dig deeper into wallets, possibly as soon as mid-summer. A slightly larger increase was approved two years ago.

“We never like to increase, but it’s a necessity,” Mayor Bobby Horton said. “We have to cover the costs we have.”

The rate hike is needed to cover operating costs slated to rise $2.1 million annually, Bingham said.

If increases are approved, West Columbia would become the second of six major water and sewer suppliers in the county to raise utility rates.

Bills in areas served by Lexington are increasing $1.85 per month in-town and $3.16 per month out-of-town for the typical homeowner starting July 1.

Much of the increase proposed in West Columbia is needed to pay for improvements reducing sewage spills in the river flowing on the east edge of the city of 15,000 people.