Lavonia To Raise Some Water Rates

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

The city of Lavonia is raising water rates.

At its meeting this past week, the Lavonia City Council heard from Assistant City Manager Charles Cawthon.

Cawthon recommended raising rates 25 cents per 1,000 gallons on the overage and increasing the new account set-up fee to $25 from the current $10.

According to Cawthon, a number of upcoming projects is the reason for the proposed rate hike.

Cawthon said one of the bigger projects Lavonia is already working on is the expansion of its water intake facility from Lake Hartwell.

“We have several issues that are going to be coming up over the next several years that will increase our water fund budget,” Cawthon told the mayor and City Council. “One thing is our increased allocation from Lake Hartwell should be coming through soon and that will cost us about $850,000 that we’re going to have to pay for hopefully over period of time, and that’s going to impact the budget.”

He said other water projects coming up include work at the water treatment plant where several upgrades are needed.

“There’s some outdated things that we’re going to have take action on and that’s going to cost somewhere between $250,000 and $300,000,” he said.

Finally, Cawthon said the Georgia Environmental Protection Division is requiring some upgrades at Lavonia’s wastewater treatment plant.

“Right now under our current permit our phosphorus and our ammonia are out of compliance. The problem is those levels will likely increase downward again by the time we renew our permit in 2020. If that’s the case our constructive wetlands will no longer be able to meet those tolerances and we will have to go to an active sludge plant.”

After hearing from Cawthon, the Lavonia City Council voted unanimously to raise both the water rates and the new account set up fee.

Lavonia City Councilman Courtney Umbehant said the 25-cent increase would work out to about an extra 80 cents a month on most water customer bills who use more than 2,000 gallons a month.

Also, Lavonia Mayor Ralph Owens noted people who use the minimum 2,000 gallons a month will not see any significant increase at all.