Water rates may skyrocket

The Barrow County Water & Sewerage Authority has called a meeting for 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, to set in motion the potential doubling what local municipal water systems pay for water pulled from the Bear Creek Reservoir. With most of their wholesale water contracts with Barrow County already lapsed, municipal officials have been expecting a rate increase in upcoming contracts. But they expressed surprise, and even shock, upon learning of a proposal to possibly raise the current rate of $1.60 per 1,000 gallons of water to $3.00 per 1,000 gallons. Since cities serve most residential and commercial water customers in Barrow County, the rate hike could affect literally thousands of water customers. Cash-strapped city governments that can’t find alternative sources are, in fact, likely to pass along any cost increases.
For the full story, see the Aug. 1 issue of the Barrow Journal.