Mount Pleasant water rates to increase

Mount Pleasant Waterworks said Tuesday that it will increase its rate by nine percent. The new rate will be reflected on monthly bills with water usage after January 1, 2010.

By News 2
Published: December 15, 2009

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Mount Pleasant Waterworks said Tuesday that it will increase its rate by nine percent.

The new rate will be reflected on monthly bills with water usage after January 1, 2010.

MPW said the adjustment amounts to about a $3.97 increase for the average household using 5,000 gallons per month.

Its commissioners approved the rate increase Monday.

“At the beginning of the fiscal year we avoided raising rates through major cutbacks in our budget including no salary increases and our first ever reduction in staff," said William Golightly, the commission's chairman. "However, reduced water consumption because of the economic conditions and wet weather has caused our revenues to be off even more than we projected six months ago."

MPW said it needs the higher rate to pay for rising energy costs, increased expense of materials, supplies, operations, replacement of aging pipes and equipment, and to keep drinking water and the environment clean and safe.

“Mount Pleasant Waterworks is facing unprecedented economic challenges," said General Manager Clay Duffie.

MPW said that even with the increase, its customers will still pay the lowest water rates in Charleston County.