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Finance committee flags sharp utility and capacity-fee increases tied to Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority
Summary
District finance staff told the finance committee that Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority fee changes — including a near-term jump and higher connection/capacity fees — are increasing district utility costs and produced a $191,000 capacity fee for the River Ridge Academy early childhood center.
Beaufort County School District finance staff told the Board of Education Finance Committee on April 20 that recent rate and capacity-fee increases from the Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) are creating material budget pressure.
Miss Crosby presented a focus review prepared for the transparency report and said BJWSA implemented a capital-improvement plan exceeding $600 million. According to that presentation, residential sewer bills had been projected to rise about 18% over a multi-year period, but the district saw about a 21% increase between 2024 and 2025 and a further 6.9% into 2026 in some categories. Crosby said those increases and rising connection/capacity fees tied to new construction have produced one-time costs for the district; she cited a $191,000 project and capacity fee for the Bluffton Early Childhood Center on the River Ridge Academy campus.
"These new connection fees are having significant increases in cost," Crosby said, explaining that fees are paid in advance and were specifically impacted by the new construction of May River Elementary School and the Bluffton Early Childhood Center.
Crosby also summarized utility-usage trends: she said annual utility payments rose notably across the reported period and that the district expects to account for these increases in the next budget cycle. When committee members asked where the budgetary overage would come from, Crosby said operational savings in other categories (custodial, maintenance or similar lines) would be used to offset the shortfall this fiscal year while budget staff revise projections for the coming year.
Members suggested the district ask BJWSA whether regional drivers — including demand from large data centers discussed at local economic development forums — are influencing rate increases. Crosby said she would coordinate with the operations/auditing office to collect communications from BJWSA and provide answers at a follow-up meeting and at a budget presentation to the full board.
The committee did not take formal action on policy changes at the meeting but asked staff to provide updated projections and a more detailed explanation of the expected budget impact before adopting next-year assumptions.
