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JEA Adopts Water Conservation Rate Effective October 1
Jacksonville, FL (May 18, 2004) - The JEA Board of Directors has approved a water conservation rate, a new rate structure for residential reclaimed water and some minor adjustments to electric rates charged to 44 commercial customers.
The new rates will take effect on October 1, 2004. The conservation rate will only affect residential customers who use more than 22,000 gallons of water a month through their regular water meter and those who use more than 15,000 gallons per month through their irrigation meter.
The average household uses about 6,600 gallons of water a month. Under the JEA proposal, customers using more than 22,000 gallons monthly through their water meter would pay $4.00 per thousand gallons for any overage, compared to $1.28 per thousand gallons for the same amount today.
About 50 percent of JEA's total potable (drinking) water production is used for lawn irrigation. Under the new rates, customers using an irrigation meter for lawn watering would pay $1.56 per thousand gallons for 16,000 - 30,000 gallons and $4 per thousand gallons for any amount over 30,000 gallons per month. Customers using 16,000 gallons or less per month will see no change in their bills.
JEA estimates that less than 3 percent (6,000) of JEA's 235,000 water customers in the Jacksonville area would be affected based on current use and then only if they do not curtail their water use.
JEA joins many other water utilities within the jurisdiction of the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) that have implemented conservation rates aimed at reducing excessive water use. The SJRWMD, which regulates water withdrawals from the aquifer, has been encouraging utilities to adopt higher rates based on volume used.
JEA is also adopting a new rate structure for residential customers using reclaimed water. Reclaimed water is processed for irrigation only and is already provided by JEA to some commercial customers in the Jacksonville area, including golf courses and parks. The utility plans to extend reclaimed water lines to large residential developments (Developments of Regional Impact, or DRIs).
Other changes going into effect on October 1 include:
- A new JEA Balanced Bill option, a 12-month pilot project designed for small residential and general service/commercial electric customers. The project will involve about 2,000 customers; and
- A one-time fee for temporary electricity required for residential construction, rather than requiring contractors to pay for meter installation on site.
Also, responding to feedback from customers, JEA will begin billing water usage in increments of 1,000 gallons, rather than the measurement of 100 cubic feet, beginning on bills generated after October 1.
The rate changes come after a year-long staff review of water and electric rates.
JEA is the eighth largest community owned electric utility in America providing electricity, water and sewer services to more than 750,000 accounts in Northeast Florida.
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