NATCHEZ, Miss. – The city board approved a rate increase Tuesday that will gradually raise Natchez residents’ monthly water bills by an average of about $9 when fully implemented.
This first increase for most city water consumers in 11 years goes into effect July 1, said Natchez Water Works Superintendent Tony Moon.
He told the Board of Aldermen that the average Natchez water customer’s monthly bill will eventually go from about $38 that’s paid now to around $47 a month in 2027.
The board adopted the lowest of three rate-increase options presented by Moon. The new phased-in water charges “are modest and they’re spread out,” said Alderman Dan Dillard.
The increase comes as Natchez Water Works’ expenses have exceeded revenues in recent years while the city needs a variety of water-sewer system improvements, such as upgrading the wastewater treatment plant, renovating sewer-lift stations and replacing old drinking-water pipes. Total price tag: $16.4 million.
Mayor Dan Gibson pointed to the importance of financially ensuring Natchez has “good water and safe water for all of our citizens.”
Details of the rate increases and how the money could be spent are available on the city’s website in a Natchez Water Works report:
http://www.natchez.ms.us/DocumentCenter/View/1205/NWW-Rate-Review-Proposal-to-BOA-4-12-2022?bidId=
The Board of Aldermen on Tuesday adopted the water-sewer rate increase described as Option 3 in the report.
Moon said information about the rate increase that takes effect July 1 will be included in mail-outs to NWW customers.
The increase has Natchez water ratepayers still charged less than what’s currently imposed on Adams County Water Association customers as well as several Mississippi cities, such as McComb, Vicksburg and Laurel. An average Adams County water customer living outside Natchez pays about $50 a month, according to a NWW report.
The NWW has about 7,000 ratepayers that include Natchez residences, businesses and industries. The phased-in rate increase could eventually generate about $1 million a year when fully implemented in 2027.
The city has received federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act that Congress enacted last year to help communities recover from the economic impact of the COVID pandemic. Funds can be used for water and sewer infrastructure improvements. The state also received millions of dollars to distribute to Mississippi cities and counties for water-sewer projects. It’s uncertain how much Natchez can get from appropriations the state Legislature approved earlier this month.
No public discussions were made by Natchez officials about these funds as they reviewed plans for the water rate increase.
Natchez aldermen in 2013 declined a phased-in water rate increase requested by the NWW that would’ve eventually generated about $800,000 more a year to fix and improve the city’s water system, which has sewer lines and water pipes more than 100 years old.
The Natchez Water Works is part of city government. It’s an independent agency governed by the Board of Water Commissioners created in 1903 and appointed by the mayor and aldermen. However, NWW rate increases require the aldermen’s approval to be implemented.
Aldermen on Tuesday rejected the water board’s request to authorize it to increase various fees the NWW charges, such as deposits for new customers and penalties on past-due bills.
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