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JEA Board Approves New Water, Sewer Rates
Jacksonville, FL (June 14, 2005) - After listening to three speakers who attended a public hearing this morning, only one person speaking in opposition to the plan, the JEA Board of Directors approved new water and sewer rates that will go into effect on October 1.
JEA has not increased rates for water and sewer services since taking over responsibility of operating both systems from the City of Jacksonville in 1997.
Under the new rates, about 95 percent of JEA residential customers who use both water and sewer services would see their monthly bill go up about $4 to $7 per month beginning in October, and about the same monthly increases in their bills in 2006 and 2007.
Base water rates will go up for commercial customers as well, with the proposed increases based on meter size. The Board also approved changes to capacity- and line extension- fees, reimbursed by builders and developers, and increased fees for new water taps.
The increases come after a three-month staff and Board review of many options. According to JEA CEO Jim Dickenson, the new rates will help JEA pay for about $1.9 billion the utility invested to upgrade the water and sewer systems over the last seven years and more fully recover the costs of maintaining and expanding the system to meet future growth.
"The proposed increases are spread over several years to make it easier for customers to absorb," Dickenson said. "They also allow JEA to maintain its current strong bond ratings, which translate into lower finance charges for outstanding and new water and sewer bonds.
Since 1997, JEA has reduced water/sewer main cave-ins by 84 percent, sanitary sewer overflows have been reduced by 83 percent, and JEA wastewater treatment facilities have experienced a 98 percent reduction in environmental permit exceedences. Also, water pressure problems that plagued the area a few years ago have been virtually eliminated.
JEA has 240,000 water customers and 190,000 sewer customers in Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties.
JEA is the eighth largest community-owned electric utility in America, providing electric, water and sewer services to more than 750,000 accounts in Northeast Florida.
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