Drought over, but Atlanta water rates won't fall

Apr 28, 2009      Atlanta Journal Constitution

Atlanta officials raised water rates last year, in part, because the city noticed a drop in revenue when homeowners heeded the call to use less water during the drought. Last month, state officials declared that the drought was over, but a city official said Tuesday there are no plans to lower the rates.

"It takes a few years for that use to start building back up," Rob Hunter, the city's watershed management commissioner, said in a brief interview. "It doesn't come right back in revenue, and we've seen that in other utilities across the U.S. when their restrictions are lifted."

Mayor Shirley Franklin and the City Council last year raised the rates by 81 percent over the next four years. Atlanta needed revenue at pre-drought levels to help fund the ongoing $4 billion effort to fix its aging sewers, improve water quality and limit pollution into nearby rivers, lakes and streams.

Atlanta had hoped money from Georgia and the federal government would help fund the system improvements, but the city has received just a few million dollars in federal grants and only loans from the state government.

Hunter talked about the rates after a testy news conference where reporters pressed him about a lawsuit filed by a homeowner last week questioning the city's water billing practices. City Attorney Beth Chandler said her staff would "defend the lawsuit vigorously" but she could not discuss details because it is in litigation.

State lawmakers held a hearing several months ago to deal with the flood of complaints from businesses and homeowners who claimed they were being overcharged by the city or unfairly billed. Hunter later said a computer glitch was responsible for some of the billing problems.

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