Reliable water and wastewater service is the foundation of our economy and quality of life. Maintaining that foundation and ensuring that it can support our future needs requires careful planning and a committment to investing in our infrastructure.
To that end, Charleston Water System developed a Capital Improvement Program---a list of 45 water and sewer projects necessary to make sure we can accomodate growth, meet regulatory requirements, and continue to provide quality water and wastewater service.
Click here for a description of capital improvement projects in progress.
 |
Capital improvement projects, such as replacing the century-old water main serving the King Street area in downtown Charleston, help support the economy, protect public health, and prepare for future demands on the system. |
About the 2006 Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
To develop the CIP, Charleston Water completed a 20-year master plan for each of the utility's four operational departments: the water distribution system, the wastewater collection system, the Hanahan Water Treatment Plant, and the Plum Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. Our engineers then prioritized the projects into several phases, and the first phase of projects makes up the 2006 CIP.
The CIP includes 45 projects totaling $155.5 million. Seventy percent of that total will fund new infrastructure needed to accomodate demands from population growth and meet regulatory requirements. The remaining 30% of will pay for rehabilitation and replacement of aging infrastructure.
Click here for information on specific projects in the CIP.
Funding the CIP
To fund the CIP, Charleston Water issued revenue bonds and approved a series of water and sewer rate increases to repay the debt.
Water rates will increase by an average of 4% and wastewater rates will increase by an average of 7% each year for the next three years, beginning December 1, 2006.
For the typical water and wastewater customer living in the City of Charleston, this amounts to about a $2.87 per month increase each year for three years.
For more information:
View the projects included in the 2006 Capital Improvement Program (PDF)
Rate increase fact sheet (PDF)
Read press release
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Charleston Water System raising rates?
The rate increase is necessary to fund needed capital improvement projects and increased operation and maintenance costs. Charleston Water does not receive tax revenue; all operations are funded by rates and fees charged for water and wastewater service. As a result, Charleston Water must borrow money to fund costly capital improvements needed to meet growth demands, maintain compliance with new regulatory requirements, and replace aging infrastructure.
What kind of capital improvement projects will the rates be funding?
The rates will be funding Charleston Water’s 2006 Capital Improvement Program, which includes 45 projects ranging from new elevated water storage tanks to upgraded equipment at the water and wastewater treatment plants and new water and wastewater mains.
These projects were identified during extensive master planning conducted for each of the treatment plants and the water distribution and wastewater collection systems. The master plans identified Charleston Water’s needs over the next twenty years and divided those needs into phases by level of priority. The 2006 Capital Improvement Program is the first phase of these improvements. All of the projects are necessary to meet increased demands from population growth, rehabilitate or replace aging infrastructure, and maintain compliance with new regulations.
The total estimated cost of these projects is $155.5 million. To fund these projects, Charleston Water System must borrow money by issuing revenue bonds, and must raise water and sewer rates in order to repay the debt.
View the projects included in the 2006 Capital Improvement Program (PDF file)
How much will my bill increase?
The amount of your increase will depend on how much water you use and where you live. For a family of four who lives in the City of Charleston and uses 6,000 gallons of water per month, the combined water and wastewater bill would go up by about $2.87 after each rate increase.
Rate increase fact sheet (PDF file)
Learn about our rate structure
When will the rate increase go into effect?
The three-year increase took effect on December 1, 2006 and rates increased again on December 1, 2007. The final increase will occur on December 1, 2008. Each increase is an average of 4% for water and 7% for wastewater.
When was Charleston Water System’s last rate increase?
Prior to the current three-year rate increase, our last increase was in December 2005. That increase was an average of 6% for water rates and 7% for sewer rates, and was part of a three-year increase to repay debt incurred by an emergency 2003 bond issue to fund the Sewer Tunnel Replacement Project and homeland security improvements.
For more information, call (843) 727-6856 or click here to send us an e-mail.
|
