Will Your Water Rates Go Up?

No one can live without water. If you get your water from the City of Asheville you pay a monthly water bill whether you live inside the City limits are outside the City limits.  Those of us who live outside the City limits may be facing a shock when we get our August water bills.  Your bill may double. Maybe even triple.   Why?  The City voted to cancel the water agreement, a very complicated document between the City of Asheville and Buncombe County adopted in 1981. As part of this agreement, the County took over certain parks and recreation facilities (McCormick Field; Buncombe County Golf Course, Recreation Park, WNC Nature Center, Aston Park Tennis Courts) in exchange for water rates throughout the County that were equal with water rates inside the City limits. When this agreement ends, all these facilities return to the City of Asheville.  The Asheville Buncombe Water Authority will also be dissolved.

• As of July 1, 2005 the City will contend it has the ability to charge County residents more for water than city residents. This could have a very negative impact on schools, businesses, industry as well as our residents. This is called differential rate.
• A differential rate could also be charged to non-city residents for use of the City recreation facilities.
• As of July 1 the City will have an enhanced ability to annex certain subdivisions and sections of the County and to withhold water supply without a voluntary annexation agreement.

The Buncombe County Commissioners feel that the solution of an independent water authority combined with an independent recreation authority would provide the best solution for everyone involved – the entire region.  It would bring stable water rates for the entire area and provide resources for renovation, repair and expansion of the water system throughout the region—under independent authority.

“My family moved to Buncombe County in 2003 from Washington, D.C. We were very excited to find out about the recreational opportunities here in this area but we got really discouraged in making several calls because all of the recreation is not under one organization. I’m sure most new arrivals go through exactly what we went through. An authority makes perfectly good sense,” John Nunnerly, an Arden resident, said.

Buncombe County Commissioners have proposed a solution bring a regional water authority and recreation authority to the area.  Here is a copy of their proposal:

This past September, we felt the impact of two major hurricanes, and as a region we’ve pulled together to support one another, and seek support to restore our communities. We know that as a region, we can and will succeed.  As a region, we all benefit from the beauty of our surroundings and the bounty that tourism brings to our region. Buncombe County enjoys the opportunity that being a regional retail and healthcare center brings to Western North Carolina. 

It’s time now for Asheville and Buncombe County to expand that appreciation of regionalism to the infrastructure that is critical to our economic health and ability to bring jobs to the region for all our citizens.  In May of last year, the City of Asheville notified Buncombe County that they were canceling the regional water agreement that has served this community since 1981. Asheville would like to have control of the water rates and control of extensions.  We appreciate the need to have a healthy and prosperous city – and want to see Asheville continue to be recognized around the world.  We also want to be good neighbors and recognize the reality that we, as a region, will succeed together. 

The Board of County Commissioners want to see a regional water authority and stable water rates for all our citizens and businesses.  To meet the challenges of maintaining a healthy city government and providing a regional solution to water service, we have made a number of different proposals to the City.  One of those that we consider a very fair offer is to ensure a continued regional approach to water service is established.

In exchange for agreeing to a regional water authority, Buncombe County will provide funding for an independent recreation authority that encompasses all city and county recreation, Pack Square, the Civic Center, and future recreation needs of the community.  A five-member board will govern this recreation authority, with 3 members appointed by City Council and 2 members appointed by Buncombe Commissioners.  The transfer of all recreation and Civic Center related expenses would relieve the City of $5 million in annual expenses.  When this is combined with the impact of canceling the water agreement, the City will net $2 million to devote to maintaining and/or expanding other city programs.  The transfer of the responsibility of the civic center to an independent board will likely open up new opportunities for replacement of the aging and outdated facility that badly needs replacement and/or a new facility.

In addition to the $2 million the City will have to dedicate to other projects, water rates will remain the same for all regional authority customers, and all water revenues will remain available to repair, renovate and expand the water system.  The community is facing $750 million in water system capital needs.  Without a regional solution, the full burden for this expense will fall to the City of Asheville.  Currently 7.5 percent of water revenues are diverted to city and county governments – setting up an independent regional water authority that provides an opportunity to work with Henderson County and Hendersonville, keeps over $1.6 million annually available to begin the renovations needed in the water system. 

Water is a basic infrastructure necessary to the growth and development of our region.  Buncombe County wants to offer the City of Asheville the opportunity to continue participating in a regional solution for water service as well as an opportunity to have a healthy budget.  This solution of an independent water authority combined with an independent recreation authority provides an opportunity to work together as a region, to manage our precious water resources, and to consolidate parks and recreation into an authority that serves all of Asheville and Buncombe County.  Residents of Buncombe County, within and outside of the Asheville City Limits, will benefit from a regional approach to water, just as they have from the regional approach for sewer in the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD).

For more information and to follow this unfolding story see the County website.