Water, Sewer Rates Continue to Escalate in Aiken City
Aiken City, South Carolina – Starting July 1, residents of Aiken City have been battling a 7% increase in water and sewer rates. This growing burden on the residents’ wallets seems endless, causing widespread concerns, particularly among individuals like Jose Rodriguez who is seeing his monetary resources steadily drained.
Rising Bills Haunting Aiken Residents
“A few months back, my bill for water and sewer was less than $120, and now it’s almost $200,” shared a distressed Rodriguez. He, like many others in the city, is troubled by the continuous growth of his water bill.
Aiken City Management Responds
Upon hearing the grievances, Aiken’s city manager, Stuart Bedenbaugh, maintains that the increase is a necessity. Charging the citizens a higher rate seems inevitable, considering the city is unable to shoulder the mounting costs. He elaborates, “There’s an impact of $1,600,000 on our budget long term. Despite reserves to handle repair and maintenance, this recent surge is quite substantial.”
County’s Decision Intensifies the Problem
The problem has amplified following the county’s decision to skyrocket its water treatment rate by 65%. According to the county, operating at a loss was getting unmanageable, leaving them with no other choice but to increase rates. However, Rodriguez argues that the city’s fiscal shortcomings should not emerge as a burden on its citizens, stating, “The consumer ends up paying for their mistakes. It’s not practical.”
A Trickle-down Effect Targeting Aiken’s Residents
Indeed, the rising expenses reflect a trickle-down effect that the citizens, including Rodriguez, demand to halt immediately. “People’s money is not really spread out to where we can manage paying a lot for utilities like electricity and now water, especially when the cost has doubled in less than a year. That’s not right,” critiques Rodriguez. The newly implemented increments translate into an additional $3.20 charge each month for an average household. Furthermore, another increase is under discussion for implementation in January, next year.
Aiken Council’s Future Actions
By conducting tests on the water and sewer infrastructure in the following months, the Aiken City Council hopes to finalize the numbers to charge the citizens. More details on this are to be expected soon. With the growing discontent among the populace, how the city and county will manage this fiasco remains to be seen.
