The Quarterly Newsletter of Charleston Water System Volume 7, Issue 4
2013 Water and Sewer Rates
Average 5% increase will appear in January bills
Charleston Water System’s water rates increased by an average of 4.5% and
sewer rates went up an average of 5.5% on December 1st.
This was the last of three rate increases approved in 2010 to fund replacement
of old infrastructure and operation and maintenance of existing pipes, pumps,
and treatment plant facilities.
For the typical residential customer who lives in the City of Charleston and
uses 6,000 gallons of water a month (800 cubic feet, or 8 Ccf ), the combined
monthly water and sewer bill will increase by $3.57. Visit charlestonwater.
com to learn more.
According to a February 2012 study by the American Water Works Association, the
nationwide cost of replacing aging water systems and expanding them to serve a growing
population will cost at least $1 trillion over the next 25 years.
December 2012
Water Whys
Why do water and sewer rates keep
going up?
The primary driver of rate increases is the
need to fund new and replacement infrastructure.
Many of our water mains, sewer lines, and
treatment facilities are over 50 years old and
have reached the end of their service life.
Replacing this aging infrastructure is necessary to maintain the level of service we all
expect, but the cost is high.
Charleston Water System funds infrastructure by issuing revenue bonds and raising
rates to repay the debt. Retained earnings
and impact fee revenue provide some funding, but not enough to meet the needs.
The three-year series of rate increases approved in 2010 are funding our current Capital Improvements Program, which includes
39 high-priority water and sewer infrastructure projects (visit our web site to view
the project list). The total estimated cost of
these projects is $155.9 million.
This 1941 photo shows the installation of a water main off South Rhett Ave. near Helm Ave.
in North Charleston that is still in service today. Water and sewer rate increases fund the cost
of replacing aging infrastructure. Photo: CWS archive collection.
Cold Weather Care for Your Home’s Plumbing
It doesn’t happen often in the Lowcountry, but when temperatures dip
below freezing and stay there, exposed water pipes and fixtures are at risk of
freezing. Water expands when it freezes, which can cause pipes to crack.
To protect your plumbing, remember to insulate exposed pipes, spigots, and
backflow preventers with towels or covers sold at hardware stores.
For older homes with a crawl space, let an indoor faucet drip overnight
when temperatures stay below freezing for a sustained period.
The cost of wide-scale infrastructure replacement and it’s impact on water and
sewer rates is a challenge faced by utilities
across the country.
“A USA TODAY study of residential water rates over the past 12 years finds
that crumbling infrastructure is forcing
repairs from coast to coast, with costs
more than doubling in 1 of 4 localities...
a resource long taken for granted will
continue to become more costly for millions of Americans.”
- USA TODAY analysis: Water costs gush higher
September 29, 2012
The Quarterly Newsletter of Charleston Water System
We Recycle!
Charleston Water System recycled 90 tons
of materials in the last year, including
aluminum cans, glass, paper, cardboard,
plastic, wood, metal, antifreeze, oil, oil
filters, batteries, tires, toner and ink
cartridges, fluorescent bulbs, electronics,
concrete, and soil.
Special thanks to our employee Green Team
for supporting recycling efforts!
Best Places to Work Award
For the second year in a row, Charleston
Water System has been named one of the
top 20 Best Places to Work in SC in the large
companies category.
The annual award program is sponsored by
the state Chamber of Commerce, the Best
Companies Group, and SCBIZ News to recognize the state’s best employers based on
benefits, workplace policies, and employee
surveys.
Perfect Permit Compliance
The National Association of Clean Water
Agencies (NACWA) has awarded our Plum
Island Wastewater Treatment Plant with
a Platinum Peak Performance Award for
five consecutive years of perfect permit
compliance.
Need a Speaker?
If your class or group is interested in
learning about water, contact us to schedule
a speaker! We can customize a talk to meet
your group’s needs.
[email protected], (843) 727-6856
5 Things You Shouldn’t Flush or Drain
Did you know that flushing or draining anything other than water, human
waste, and toilet paper increases the chances of clogging your plumbing, causing problems in the sewer system, or harming the environment?
Here’s a list of things that should never go in the sewer system and why.
1. Fats, oils, and grease
Grease solidifies as it cools and builds up inside sewer pipes. Always
dispose of cooled grease in a can or jar and throw it in the trash.
2. Wipes, rags, and paper towels
Toilet paper is designed
to break down in water,
but rags, paper towels, and wipes—even
products labeled “flushable”—are not.
These fibrous materials can contribute to
sewer line clogs, and in
pump stations, they can
entangle into super-clogs
that damage pumps and
block pipes.
3. Feminine hygiene products,
plastic gloves, and trash
To prevent clogs, dispose of these items in the
trash, not the toilet.
This mass of rags, wipes, and string, dubbed “Cousin Itt” by CWS staff, jammed a pump at the Plum
Island Wastewater Treatment Plant.
4. Medications (unless the
label specifically tells you to
flush it)
Wastewater treatment plants aren’t designed to remove pharmaceuticals.
Help keep these compounds out of the water environment by disposing
of old medications in the trash, but be sure to take precautions recommended by the FDA (visit www.fda.gov for details).
5.Household hazardous wastes (paints, solvents, insecticides, etc.)
Take these to a recycling center or hazardous material drop-off location
in your county.
Our Mission is to protect public health and the environment of our service community
by providing clean water services of exceptional quality and value.
103 St. Philip Street, Downtown
6296 Rivers Ave, North Area
(843) 727-6800
[email protected]
www.charlestonwater.com
@ChasWaterSystem