CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte city leaders said the days of lower water rates are gone, and rates are going up to pay for growing needs.
Bills could go up by 5.5 percent, they said.
City Council is facing the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department's increasing burden to maintain the largest water and sewer utility in North Carolina while pipes age and service areas grow faster than expected.
CMUD Director Barry Gullet said that is what is driving rate increases.
Rates are set to go up 4 to 6 percent every year, and Gullet doesn't anticipate that changing.
He said that even if usage goes down, which it has, prices will still go up to pay for what's needed to keep the system going.
The utility operates on revenue money, not tax dollars.
CMUD said a fixed rate that customers pay on their bills may go up next year, as opposed to paying for what you use.
He said that is designed so that the revenue is guaranteed.
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