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JEA Board Calls May Public Hearing on Water Conservation Rate
Jacksonville, FL (April 20, 2004) - The JEA Board of Directors has approved a public meeting for 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 18 to receive customer comments on proposed water conservation rates, a new rate structure for residential reclaimed water and some minor adjustments to electric rates charged to 44 commercial customers.
The meeting will take place at the JEA Tower, 21 West Church St. in downtown Jacksonville.
Any changes to JEA's rate structure will take affect on October 1, 2004.
The conservation rates will only affect residential customers who use more than 22,000 gallons of water a month through their regular water meter and 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 proposed 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.
Less than 3 percent (6,000) of JEA's 200,000 water customers in the Jacksonville area would be affected based on current use and then only if they do not curtail their water use.
If approved, JEA will join 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. SJRWMD, which regulates water withdrawals from the aquifer, has been encouraging utilities to adopt higher rates based on volume used.
JEA is also proposing 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) in St. Johns County.
Other recommendations include:
- Introducing 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
- Introducing a one-time fee for temporary electricity required for residential construction, rather than requiring contractors to pay for meter installation on site.
The recommended rate changes come after a year-long staff review of water and electric rates. This is the fourteenth consecutive year that JEA has not had a general rate increase.
JEA Water Conservation Rates (Residential)
| Volume (Gallons) |
Current Price per 1,000 gallons |
Proposed Rate per 1,000 gallons |
| 1 - 11,000 |
$0.78 |
Unchanged |
| 11,000 - 22,000 |
$0.97 |
Unchanged |
| 22,000 and up |
$1.28 |
$4.00 (Conservation Rate) |
JEA Irrigation Conservation Rates (Residential)
| Volume (Gallons) |
Current Price per 1,000 gallons |
Current Price per CCF* |
| 1 - 22,000 |
$0.97 |
$0.73 per CCF |
| 22,000 and up |
$1.28 |
$0.96 per CCF |
| Volume (Gallons) |
Proposed Price per 1,000 gallons |
Proposed Price per CCF* |
| 1 - 15,000 |
$0.97 |
$0.73 per CCF |
| 16,000 - 30,000 |
$1.56 |
$1.17 per CCF |
| 30,000 and up |
$4.00 |
$2.99 per CCF |
* CCF means 100 Cubic Feet, the current measurement used by JEA, On October 1, 2004, JEA will begin showing usage in a "per-1,000-gallon" measurement internally and on all customer bills.
New Retail (residential) Reclaimed Water Rates
New Rate for St. Johns County Developments of Residential Impact (DRIs)
| Volume (Gallons) |
Current Price per 1,000 gallons |
Proposed Price per 1,000 gallons |
| 1 - 15,000 |
none/new category |
$0.97 |
| 16,000 - 30,000 |
none/new category |
$1.56 |
| 30,000 and up |
none/new category |
$4.00 (Conservation Rate) |
Industrial Pretreatment (IPT) Permit Enforcement
There will be a new $100 fee for those Industrial Pretreatment (IPT) IPT customers
who have administrative violations. They will be allowed one violation without being charged the fee.
They will be charged the fee for subsequent violations. (IPT customers are typically large
manufacturing companies.)
Wholesale Water and Sewer Rates
A wholesale water & sewer rate will be developed to supply service to the new
City of Jacksonville Water and Sewer Expansion Authority (WSEA)
Administrative Changes to Electric Rates
Interruptible/Curtailable
The current low rates paid by these customers will not change.
JEA will adjust the charges during Peaking times to reflect JEA's current cost to operating
Peaking units.
| Current |
$0.0185/kwh fuel charge + $0.07721/kwh energy charge during Peaking periods. |
| New |
$0.0185/kwh fuel charge + $0.1025/kwh energy charge during Peaking periods. |
Optional Balanced Rate
JEA will offer a Balanced Rate option to its Residential and smallest, non-demand customers.
This rate will allow the customer to pay the same bill every month. There is not a "true-up" at
the end of the year. JEA will account for the risk of the customer varying his usage and/or
JEA costs changing during the year.
One Time Residential Temporary Service Fee
Change charges for temporary electric service for residential construction to a one time fee
(per home).
Wholesale Transmission
JEA is evaluating the charges for wholesale, utility to utility transmission of electricity.
This will not affect residential customers.
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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