Cobb water bills will rise by an average of about $5 a month for residential customers after Cobb commissioners approved a rate increase on Tuesday.
The vote was 3-1, and the new rates will take effect on Sept. 1.
The bill for a homeowner consuming around 4,700 gallons a month will rise from $48.33 a month to $53.13 a month, according to calculations made by the Cobb County Water System (agenda item here).
Steven McCullers, the county water system director, said Cobb hasn’t had a rate increase since 2012. Since then, water purchase costs have risen by around 25 percent, and other operating costs also have gone up.
Water system revenues for the present year are around $220 million, but expenses are $239 million.
At a commissioners budget retreat in June, McCullers told commissioners that Cobb’s current rate structure is “not competitive,” and that the current level of service is “not sustainable” with the present rate structure.
County officials have said Cobb still has one of the lowest water rates in metro Atlanta even with the increase.
But Northeast Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell, the only vote against raising water rates, said she could not support an increase as long as Cobb continues to transfer 10 percent of water system revenues into the general fund.
Around $22 million in water revenues were transferred for county operations for the current fiscal year.
East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott was not present at Tuesday’s meeting. He was out of town representing the county at a technology conference.
The commission’s vote also includes changes in how water system development fees are calculated.
Here’s more on the new water system fee structure and other changes.
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