The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors will host a community meeting on the proposed rate increases by Aqua Virginia Tuesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. at Read Mountain Middle School.
Blue Ridge District Supervisor Billy Martin and Valley District Supervisor Mac Scothorn will receive comments from citizens and businesses that are Aqua Virginia customers in the county. The supervisors want to hear from those customers about the proposed increases and about the service provided by Aqua Virginia.
The two supervisors scheduled the community meeting because Aqua Virginia has proposed another rate increase and has also petitioned the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to allow it to impose a new water and wastewater infrastructure service charge (WWISC) that would also affect its more than 2,300 Botetourt residential and business customers.
The SCC has scheduled two public hearings about the proposed rate increase and WWISC on Tuesday, May 15 at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Lord Botetourt High School.
The SCC hearing officer will conduct the public hearings.
The Botetourt Board of Supervisors has joined with other counties that are served by the Aqua Virginia to fight a proposed water rate increase that is from 25 to 40 percent, according to County Attorney Michael Lockaby.
The Board of Supervisors was scheduled to consult with Lockaby about the county’s legal role in the Aqua Virginia applications to the SCC during the board’s closed executive session Tuesday.
The May 8 community meeting is a way for local Aqua Virginia customers to let county officials know about their concerns and problems and to help prepare for the SCC public hearings.
The May 15 public hearings are primarily for Botetourt, Franklin and Montgomery Counties. The SCC had already scheduled public hearings at its Richmond office and in Fluvanna and Caroline Counties where Aqua Virginia also owns water and sewer systems.
Aqua Virginia customers in Botetourt had a rate increase a year ago and now the water/sewer company is seeking a $1.48 million increase in revenues along with the new (WWISC).
Besides the base water rate increase, the WWISC would allow the company to place a new surcharge on customers that would not have the same SCC oversight as water rates, and that could result in even a much greater increase in rates, Lockaby told the supervisors earlier this year. He said the WWISC could be a rate as high as 10 percent of the base water rate.
Aqua Virginia has two rate structures in Botetourt— both with the same base fee. The per 1,000 gallon rates vary between the two.
The supervisors passed a resolution in December to use whatever authority they have to oppose the proposed water rate increase and the new WWISC infrastructure surcharge.
The SCC hearing officer is essentially the judge in the case and will make the decision about a rate increase.
