Public Hearing: YES ☐ NO ☒ Department: Finance
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): All Commission Districts
The Department of Watershed Management rate increase proposal of 10% per year for 10 years to fund the water and sewer operation and maintenance, debt service, and the CIP 2024 from 2025 to 2034.
Body
Information Contact: Dianne McNabb, CFO, and David Hayes, DWM Director
Phone Number: 404-304-4736; 770-414-6240
PURPOSE:
To adopt the attached Resolution approving the proposed Department of Watershed Management’s (DWM) rate increase of 10% per year from 2025 to 2034.
NEED/IMPACT:
The Department of Watershed Management’s (DWM) mission to sustain a safe drinking water supply and wastewater collection and treatment system to protect the County’s health and watersheds requires that the County’s water and wastewater infrastructure be properly maintained, repaired, replaced, upgraded, operated, and managed. In addition, the growth and economic development of the County requires the County to continuously develop and renew the water and wastewater infrastructure.
Much of the water and sewer system needs replacement and/or major upgrades. Many of the pipes are more than 70 years old and the County’s only water treatment plant, Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant, requires major repairs and improvements. The County also must comply with the Consent Decree requirements imposed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Georgia Attorney General Office, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Environmental Protection Division (EPD).
The failure to address the above issues would subject the County’s continued growth, economic development, financial stability, and high-quality water goals to significant risk.
The County has determined that the total spend over the next 10 years to fund the CIP 2024 and accomplish the necessary improvements will approximate $4 billion.
The rate increases are necessary to fund the operation of the system, generate renewal and extension funds to pay a portion of the CIP 2024, support the issuance of bonds and loans to finance the balance of the CIP 2024, and pay debt service.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Please see the attached Revenue Sufficiency Study.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
Adopt the attached Resolution approving the Department of Watershed Management’s proposed rate increases of 10% per year for the period 2025 through 2034.