Dixie County Times

October 18, 2007

Suwannee Water Workshop Answers Numerous Questions

Although no official action was taken last Thursday during a workshop held to tackle Suwannee's water issues, a plan of action intended to help the Suwannee Water and Sewer District overcome its many obstacles was formed after nearly two hours of an, at times, heated and emotional discussion.

"I think it was a good meeting," said Suwannee Water and Sewer District Manager Tony Johns. "It helped inform the community."

More than 50 people attended the workshop, the majority of them were concerned residents of Suwannee seeking answers. Many wanted to know why their water and sewer rates were going up. Some wanted to know why the District was in such a financial rut. Others simply wanted to know when they would have safe drinking water.

Some questions were easier to answer, and easier for people to understand.

The Town of Suwannee should have safe, excellent quality drinking water possibly by February, when the new water treatment plant is expected to be completed, said Johns, but noted that "The disadvantage is we have to pay for it."

Rates must increase to pay for the new state-of-the-art water treatment plant, he said. The District currently owes on a $1.4 million loan, and monthly payments on that loan started being paid this month, hence the $8 increase on everyone's bill last month. Also, the District is still paying on a loan that was taken out about 10 years ago to pay for the old water plant.

Because the District had not been requiring residents to pay rates that were based upon a rate structure designed to generate reserve money to repair or replace equipment, the District had to take out loans to pay for those projects. The rates, therefore, must go up now, or else the District will slip deeper into debt, Johns explained.

"I'm sorry; that's life," added William Secoy, a circuit rider for the Florida Rural Water Association, which the District pays to be a member of.

"The rates have to go up."

Secoy and a colleague, Coy Donaldson, spoke before the Dixie County Board of County Commissioners and the audience about water and sewer rates and how the Suwannee Water and Sewer District can resurrect itself.

According to Secoy, the District's present water and sewer rate structure needs to be changed due to growth and usage.

The water rate structure he presented takes into account three different types of users: Residential, those who use about 1,500 gallons of water each month; Commercial 1, those who average about 3,000 gallons per month; and Commercial 2, the average industrial customer who uses 54,000 gallons per month. With this rate structure, customers classified as Residential would pay $32, Commercial 1 customers would pay $48 and Commercial 2 customers would pay $215.99. If a customer uses more than their allocated amount of water, they would pay $2 for every additional 3,000 gallons they use.

The wastewater rate structure Secoy presented is similar to the water rate structure. Residential customers would pay $31.60, Commercial 1 customers would pay $47.40, and Commercial 2 customers would pay $209.20 for wastewater.

The new wastewater rate structure the District is proposing differs from the one Secoy presented in cost and it does not take into account three classifications of users, only two: Residential and Commercial.

Currently, Residential customers pay a base rate of $24 and a $3.50 grinder pump fee. Commercial customers pay a base rate of $27.50 and a $3.50 grinder pump fee. The District is proposing the Residential base rate increase to $30.30 and the Commercial base rate increase to $33.80. The grinder pump fee for both would increase to $7.

Secoy said he understood the Board wants to keep the customer in mind and keep rates low, but "that's how you end up where you are today."

County Commissioner Marcus Hays said he sympathized with the residents-he himself pays about $70 each month to treat his water-but the rates have to go up.

"Everything we have, whether it be water, gas, lights, groceries, is going to go up," he said.

The Suwannee Sewer and Water Board will determine the new rates at a Nov. 2 meeting.

In addition to increasing rates, Secoy and Donaldson recommended the Suwannee Water and Sewer Board "get some policies and procedures on the books and enforce them."

Current Board member Chris Parr and former member Craig Holcomb, who recently resigned, both agreed that the Board needs to have policies and procedures defined, as well as duties of employees and Board members.

"What do you expect from the Board?" Holcomb asked. "What is the Board supposed to do?"

Secoy and Donaldson, offered their expertise to help the Board determine its function and design policies and procedures. They also offered to provide training to Board members and District employees.

Commissioners suggested the Board accept Secoy and Donaldson's offer. They also suggested the Board present a rate structure sufficient to operate the District and work to get a full-member Board again (the Board currently does not have two members).

Commissioners then asked the community to not attack Board members and employees, as has been done in recent weeks.

"I'd love to see Suwannee start pulling together," Commissioner James Valentine said.

Commissioner Buddy Lamb added: "You can't tell me the intelligent people of Suwannee can't work together. There's got to be some give and take. Not everybody's going to get what they want."