FROM STAFF REPORTS

Iredell Water Corporation on Wednesday announced a new rate and fee structure, effective January 1, 2022.

The monthly user flat fee will increase 50 cents to $13 a month, while the Consumption Rate will go up 20 cents to $4.20 per 1,000 gallons used. Some developer tap fees and fees concerning inactive accounts and infrastructure damage will also increase.

The entire rate and fee structure we will use for 2022 can be found HERE. 

In a news release, Iredell Water officials stressed that their goal is to provide customers with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water.

“To achieve our goal, Iredell Water sets our water rates using a long-term plan designed to ensure we have the level of funding needed to always provide top-quality services,” officials said in a news release. “At the same time, the approach prevents us from having to use unpredictable rate increases that can cause financial concerns for our customers.”

This long-term approach protects both Iredell Water and our customers from experiencing major funding issues during crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said. “Because our rate structure has been even in its implementation, we were confident we could handle the impacts of the emergency, even as it continues for far longer than anyone imaged.”

The UNC School of Government’s Environmental Finance Center reviews the water and wastewater rates from 487 utilities in the State of North Carolina. They continue to find Iredell Water’s rates to be extremely affordable and right in line with the state average. Learn more about UNC EFC’s dashboard at https://dashboards.efc.sog.unc.edu/nc.

The funds Iredell Water receives from its customers and from low-interest USDA-Rural Development loans fund improvements to the utility’s water system’s infrastructure.

“We are in the final stages of completing our 14-mile-long Ostwalt-Amity Area water main extension, which includes the construction of two new groundwater wells and a 300,000-gallon elevated storage tank,” officials said. “This project will bring water service to an area of the county unable to receive our water until now.”

Iredell Water is also making progress to upgrade its water meters. The upgraded meters will include proactive leak alerts. The new meter will eventually provide customof ers with web-based portals they can use to manage their water use even more than they can today. This project is scheduled to be completed by fall 2022. 

“We thank our customers for the trust they have placed in us over the years as we have used our long-term funding approach,” said Iredell Water Assistant Manager Danny Sloan. “We look forward to continuing to provide you with high-quality services over the coming months and years.”