Forget about preparations for the Summer Olympics (and speaking of conservation), right now City Council is interacting with the City of Richmond utility department over water rates. An editorial and an online petition has Richmonders taking part in the latest local internet craze- finding and comparing minimum water rate charges from across the country.
Keep in mind, according to census data there are 83,498 occupied housing units in Richmond. If each unit is paying the minimum service charge of $49.40/month, that is $4,124,801 generated monthly from the minimum water/sewer service charge, or $49,497,614 annually.
You see, this issue is generating a lot of email, and rather than dealing with actual water rate reform (which to be fair, might have to involve the Virginia General Assembly), City officials are scrambling to find a way to dispute the citizens’ complaint.
Anyway, for comparison…drip…drip..
Minimum monthly charge for residential water/sewer service:
Richmond: $49.40 [includes no water/sewer volume]
Henrico: $16.27
Chesterfield: $22.16
Norfolk: $1.00
Charlottesville: $8.00
Petersburg: $13.90
Hopewell: $25.39
Alexandria: $18.20
Roanoke: $20.75
Washington DC: $3.86
Charlotte: $4.92
Greensboro: $3.04
Raleigh: $5.81
Columbia,SC: $11.01
Macon,GA $15.75
Tallahassee,FL $24.86
Pittsburg: $16.59 (includes first 1000 gallons)
Knoxville: $24.75 (includes first 1,500 gallons)
Memphis: $10.82
Louisville Ky: $21.27
Little Rock AR: $20.72
Oklahoma City: $13.03
Kansas City Mo: $22.30
Milwaukee: $9.65
Lincoln Ne: $4.92
Bismarck ND: $12.20
Helena,MT: $6.97
New York City: $12.90 (includes 4 ccf)
New Orleans: $15.65
Phoenix: $5.36
Albuquerque: $15.32
Dallas: $8.30
San Francisco: $7.90
Atlanta: $13.12
Seattle: $23.93
Richmond has the most backwards and regressive water rate structure of any city in the U.S. It is unreasonable to charge senior citizens and low income residents $49.40 just to be connected to the water supply.
Thanks for posting this. Those comparison figures to other cities/counties are cringe worthy. Sure hope something can be done about this ridiculously high charge.
And where is that 50 million a year going exactly? Where is the media?
Who is this “Anonymous” person that frequently comments on this website and other neighborhood websites? That eye for his/her profile pic sure looks familiar. Think I’ve seen it on someone else’s profile pic who, ironically, also posts regularly on here.
One of the Betsy Carr staff lives in the neighborhood or did when they did the canvasing last year. If the rate must be changed by the VA General Assembly, would it have to be proposed by her?
I love that you have that ridiculous 811 Meter Monster as a banner ad next to this article. I pray the rates are not high to pay for moronic ad campaigns like this.
Will this lead to reform?:
http://cityhallreview.com/2012/08/03/city-selects-consultant-for-utilities-cost-of-service-analysis/
Here is just what one consultants takes from the Tax/Rate payers.
Greeley & Hanson
“Greeley & Hansen 92097A (CSO)
Engineering Svcs – CSO Program” $23,131,218
“Greeley & Hansen 05172B-2 (WW)
Engineering Svcs – Wastewater Design” $1,000,000
Greeley & Hansen 05172B-3 (WW) $1,000,000
“Greeley & Hansen 09078E-1 (WW)
Engineering Svcs – Wastewater Design” $1,000,000
Greeley & Hansen 09078E-2 (WW) $1,000,000
Greeley & Hansen 09078E-3 (WW) $1,000,000
“Greeley & Hansen 06134-1 (WW)
Engineering Svcs – Nutrient Reduction” $14,112,820
“Greeley & Hansen 09120-1 (WW)
Wastewater Collections SSES” $4,533,000
“Greeley & Hansen 09161-1 (WW)
Collections & Stormwater System Master Plan” $1,500,000
“Greeley & Hansen 99133-5 (Water)
Engineering Services” $3,001,000
Greeley & Hansen 99133-6 (Water) $1,575,000
“Greeley & Hansen 05192B-1 (Water)
Engineering Svcs – Water Design” $1,000,000
Greeley & Hansen 05192B-2 (Water) $1,000,000
Greeley & Hansen 05192B-3 (Water) $1,000,000
“Greeley & Hansen 09078D-1 (Water)
Engineering Svcs – Water Design” $1,000,000
Greeley & Hansen 09078D-2 (Water) $1,000,000
Greeley & Hansen 09078D-3 (Water) $1,000,000
“Greeley & Hansen 11037-1 (Water)
ES – Churchill Tank Replacement 5.0 Mil. Gallons” $940,376
That’s $36,662,196 for one “consultant” based in Chicago. It seems all of our tax money leaves the city and goes to the bosses in Chicago?
All that money going to carpetbaggers. Some things never change.