Chris Adcock, Pittsylvania County Director of Public Works, presented a multi‑year rate proposal for the county’s water and wastewater enterprise systems at the Oct. 21 work session, asking the board to consider combining proposed increases for 2024 and 2025 into a 4.2% increase to take effect after public notice and hearing, followed by automatic 2.2% and 2.1% increases in subsequent fiscal years.

Adcock said a comprehensive water and wastewater master plan and rate study completed in 2022 recommended multi‑year rate adjustments to ensure the systems remain self‑supporting, fund capital improvements, maintain debt coverage ratios and preserve cash reserves. He noted the board approved a 3.1% increase in January 2023 (the first since 2013) and that the county deferred further increases during a contentious 2024 real estate reassessment cycle.

Under Adcock’s proposal, the combined 2024–25 increase would be implemented now (a 4.2% adjustment). He proposed automatic increases of 2.2% in fiscal year 2026–27 and 2.1% in fiscal year 2027–28, subject to the board adopting a resolution and completing a required public hearing and advertisement. Adcock said staff would present a resolution in November and hold the public hearing in December.

Adcock provided service‑area specifics: the county’s base bimonthly rate for many systems is $47.50 (which includes an 8,000‑gallon allowance); overage is billed at $7.25 per 1,000 gallons under current rates (Adcock proposed raising the overage rate modestly as part of the package). The county purchases water for the Chatham service area from the town of Chatham (current Chatham base rate $55), and the Hurt bulk water arrangement carries a higher per‑thousand‑gallon charge; Adcock said proposed adjustments for the Hurt service area would reflect recent rate increases by the town of Hurt (proposed $19 per 1,000 gallons in county billing to reflect Hurt’s new rates).

Adcock presented a chart comparing local rates and said even with the proposed increases Pittsylvania County rates would remain lower than many neighboring jurisdictions. Several supervisors asked for more outreach and analysis. Supervisor Bowman asked staff to return with a more detailed review of where water and sewer lines run, who is not connected, options for mandatory hookups and policy alternatives. Supervisor Dalton asked whether the increases would cover only operating costs; Adcock said the study incorporated capital, operations and maintenance needs identified in the master plan.

Adcock said the next steps are for the board to adopt a resolution in November setting the proposed rates for advertisement, hold the statutorily required public hearing in December, and then adopt rates for implementation after the hearing if the board chooses to do so.

Why it matters: The county’s water and sewer enterprise supports a geographically large service area. Multi‑year rate changes affect household utility bills, enterprise fund health and the county’s ability to finance infrastructure improvements. Board members asked staff for additional financial detail and options before a final vote.