Jones’ water plan would suck Richmond dry
Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ new water proposal would actually cost Richmond residents more money.
Shane Wade
Opinion Editor
A few months ago, I discussed the need for Richmond to modernize its water and wastewater collection by doing away with the current flat rate and implementing just a progressive tax structure, like a volume tax, that charges residents by their water usage. Doing so encourages conservative water usage and justly charges everyone.
But because of political stagnation within City Hall, I didn’t expect any action to be taken.
So naturally, I was surprised when Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced last week that his proposed budget would include a steep cut to the flat rate charges mades to Richmond residents. They would go from $49.40 a month to $26.11, an almost 50 percent cut.
Finally, a politician that listens to the people. Except, if you take the rest of the plan into account, it’s not a great deal. Instead of being a cut to the water service charge, it’s a cut to people’s wallets.
In addition to decreasing the water service rate, the mayor is calling for an increase in the volume charges for water from $1.63 to $3.21 and wastewater from $2.59 to $5.82.
Please realize that what Mayor Jones is proposing is utterly conniving and akin to governmental robbery. In addition to being a double tax – one tax for having the service, the other for how much of it you use – the act decreasing the service charge is negated by increasing the volume charge. While adjusting the rate to usage could ostensibly save residents money if they don’t use much water, they still have a service charge that charges them indiscriminately.
What we pay for water could possibly even increase under this proposal.
According to Richmond city officials, in 2012, the average Richmond household used 7 ccf (hundred cubic feet) of water per month. That’s the equivalent of about 5,200 gallons of water. For comparison purposes, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that each person uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water per day.
At a rate of 7 ccf per month, the average Richmond household will spend $22.47 for water, $40.74 for 7 ccf of wastewater and an additional $26.11 for their water service. That’s $89.32. Richmond’s Department of Public Utilities finds that the average household currently pay pays $78.91 on their monthly bill. The mayor’s “cut” will actually end up costing consumers $10 more.
Unless residents decrease their water usage (volume charges for wastewater are the same as water volume charges, regardless of the consumption), then residents will end up paying more on their water bill.
It should also be noted that the city, according to the Richmond Times Dispatch, spent $201,000 on a consultant who performed a utilities cost study. That $201,000 would have been better used funding research into how the city could save Richmond residents money.
Mayor Jones continues to parade the proposal about as a cost-savings measure, unchallenged. RVA News reported that Councilman Charles Samuels of the 2nd District went as far as to call it “progress” and “an example of government listening to its constituents.”
This is an example of government robbing its constituents.
