Board wants comment on rate raise

The Orange Water and Sewer Authority will hold a public hearing tonight (Thursday) to allow customers to speak to the board of directors about the proposed budget for fiscal year 2009, which starts July 1 and includes a 24 percent increase in monthly water and sewer rates. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the OWASA building at 400 Jones Ferry Road in Carrboro.

Under the plan, a household using 5,000 gallons per month would pay about $14.50, or about 25 percent more per month.

OWASA cites a projected 13 percent reduction in demand due to conservation and a projected $1.3 million loss in connection fees due to a flagging construction economy as key reasons for the rate increase. Overall, the utility’s budget is about 2 percent larger than last year.

Contact OWASA by email at webmaster@owasa.org or call 968-4421.