Last week Columbia’s City Council approved controversial water rate hikes of up to 20% per year, up to a maximum of 150%, over the next five years to fund a new $520 million intake on the Duck River and a new water treatment plant. Despite intense opposition from the county mayor and other county officials, only the city council was allowed to vote on the right increase.
The rate increase will affect Columbia Power and Water Systems’ 27,000 customers, as well as thousands more served by other water systems that buy water from Columbia Power and Water (CPW). The higher rates go into effect on March 1.
The Columbia City Council approved the new rates 5-2, with Council member Charlie Huffman and Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder voting no. The council also unanimously approved an increase of the utility’s impact fee for new customers. That potential future revenue could reduce the need to raise customer rates, according to CPW CEO, Jonathan Hardin.
Opponents of the higher rates have been arguing for weeks for a delay in the decision to allow cheaper water alternatives for the community to be explored. Elected officials representing Maury County residents opposed the rate increase or advocated for city leaders to delay the vote and explore other options, including Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt, County Commissioner Gabe Howard among other Maury County commissioners, and Republican State Rep. Scott Cepicky.
Maury County residents living outside of Columbia city limits have argued that they are disenfranchised by the rate approval process being limited to the city council. CPW is a city utility that sells water at wholesale rates to other nearby water systems serving a combined 35,000 customers in Maury County, Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant, but rate changes are approved solely by the Columbia City Council.
All customers will see an immediate 20% hike in their water bill forthe first year, according to the utility, but CPW has said it expects lower increases in years the following years.
Mairy County residents outside the city are particularly upset at being shut out of the decision process.Maury County Water System customers already pay higher rates than CPW customers, because the county utility buys its water from Columbia’s utility at wholesale prices and sells it to county customers after adding on additional costs. This particularly concerns farmers, business owners and families who live on rural land outside of the reach of the city’s utility.
Jason Gilliam, a member of the Maury County Water System Board, who also chairs the county’s Republican Party, has strongly opposed the increase. He also leads a group advocating for the construction of a new dam in Columbia.
County Mayor Sheila Butt posted a statement about the 5-2 vote on her social media: “I personally want to thank all of the people in Maury County who spoke up and engaged in this process. We weren’t ‘complaining’ as one Council member mentioned. We were carrying out our responsibility as citizens in a Representative Republic.”
“This entire process has been a wake up call to Maury County citizens for the need to pay attention to your local government. What your local representatives vote on truly impacts our lives, right down to the price of everything and everyone who uses water.”
Steve Gill is editor and Publisher of TriStar Daily.
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