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Board approves new Liberty County water rates, to take effect July 1
Summary
After a presentation by Georgia Rural Water consultant Bill Powell, the commissioners approved a new rate structure to make the county's water enterprise fund self-sustaining and to cover debt service and operating costs; the changes will take effect July 1 and include a new base/debt charge and stepped volumetric tiers.
The Liberty County Board of Commissioners voted to implement a new water rate structure recommended in a rate study prepared by Georgia Rural Water consultant Bill Powell, with a target effective date of July 1.
Powell told the board the system's projected operating budget including debt service is about $191,000 and the county carries roughly $42,004 in annual debt service on the water system. To make the water enterprise fund self-sustaining, the study proposes separating the debt-service component from the base availability charge and moving from a 2,000-gallon minimum to a 0-gallon availability base.
Under the structure presented, the new bill for an average residential use (about 3,500 gallons) would rise from roughly $33.50 to roughly $55.50; the consultant explained that the effective dollar increase for the typical customer would be about $19. Powell outlined a tiered, conservation-oriented volumetric schedule: roughly $2.50 per 1,000 gallons for the first tier (up to 2,000 gallons), $3.00 per 1,000 for the next tier, rising to $5.00 per 1,000 for very large users above 50,000 gallons. The proposal also included a $2 administrative fee per account and a debt-service allocation of roughly $12.19 per equivalent residential unit.
Powell emphasized the study was provided to the county at no charge through Georgia Rural Water and said the rate proposal is consistent with typical methodology used by financing agencies such as USDA and GEFA. Board members pressed staff on implementation details including public notice and billing trials; staff recommended a July 1 effective date to allow time for notification.
The board made a motion and approved the rate structure as presented; commissioners also approved a related management contract (Withrow Sap or similar existing water-management services) as a companion item so the county can implement the billing and financial controls. Commissioners asked staff to run a trial bill and return with a follow-up review within a year.
Why it matters: The new rates are intended to end subsidies from the general fund and ensure the water system covers its own operating, maintenance and debt costs. The change affects every water customer on the county system and is the first significant increase in roughly a decade.
Implementation note: Staff will perform a test bill and follow up with another study after one year; the board asked staff to include maintenance and depreciation needs in future budgets.
