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Council adopts revised water fees; $2,000 connection fee proposed, waived during construction window
Summary
The council approved a revised water fees and charges schedule recommended by the Water Advisory Committee, including a proposed $2,000 service-connection fee for new hookups to planned mains (with a temporary waiver during main construction) and a $500 meter fee for certain parcels already provided service.
Oak Ridge — The Town Council approved an updated water fees and charges schedule recommended by the Water Advisory Committee that establishes a one-time service-connection fee for certain new hookups and sets policy for meter charges and annual review.
The new schedule establishes a proposed water service connection fee of $2,000 intended to cover costs of installing a service tap and, where needed, boring under a roadway to reach the main. The Water Advisory Committee also recommended waiving the connection fee during the preconstruction and construction phases of the NC-150 to Linville Road water main to encourage property owners to connect during the construction window. A separate $500 meter fee will apply to parcels in the Honeycutt Reserve area because developer-provided infrastructure differs from other mains.
Committee and council members said the single connection fee averages the expected cost across properties that will require standard taps and those that will require more costly bores under right-of-way. The committee also recommended annual review of the water fees schedule.
Council approved the revised fee schedule and the temporary waiver through completion of construction on the NC-150 to Linville Road water main; staff will finalize administrative details, publish the fee schedule and notify property owners of connection procedures and timing.
Why it matters: The fee establishes a consistent town policy for recovering installation costs tied to the new municipal water service that the town is expanding; the temporary waiver is intended as an incentive to increase early connections while the main is being installed.
