NATCHEZ, Miss. – The city board is considering a water rate increase that could gradually raise Natchez residents’ water bills by an average of about $9 a month.
If approved by the Board of Aldermen, it would be the first increase for most city water-sewer consumers in 11 years, said Natchez Water Works Superintendent Tony Moon.
Moon presented a report Tuesday to aldermen and Mayor Dan Gibson showing an average Natchez water customer’s monthly bill could eventually go from about $38 that’s paid now to around $47 a month in 2027.
NWW officials, he said, have carefully compiled rate-increase options for aldermen to review that have the least impact on consumers. “We’ve spent months on this because we want it to be fair to all the customers,” Moon said.
Revenues generated by the water bill increase would help fund a variety of Natchez water system improvements, such as upgrading the wastewater treatment plant, renovating sewer-lift stations and replacing old drinking-water pipes. Total price tag: $16.4 million.
While Gibson and aldermen didn’t indicate Tuesday if they’ll approve the requested rate increase, the mayor pointed to the importance of being “proactive” to financially ensure Natchez has “good water and safe water for all of our citizens.”
The NWW’s request for a water-rate increase will be studied by aldermen “to give the board more time to consider this and for the public to consider this,” Gibson said.
Details of the proposed rate increase, what revenues it would generate and how it’ll be spent will be made public on the city’s website and in other means of communications, including mail-outs to NWW customers.
The options submitted to the board Tuesday all have Natchez water ratepayers charged less than what’s currently imposed on Adams County Water Association customers as well has several Mississippi cities, such as McComb, Vicksburg and Laurel. An average Adams County water customer living outside Natchez pays about $50 a month, according to the NWW report.
The Mississippi Department of Health – which monitors municipal water systems to ensure they’re distributing safe drinking water – gave Natchez a less-than-perfect rating after a February inspection. The state agency’s report noted NWW’s expenditures have exceeded revenues in recent years and the city should review what’s charged to Natchez water consumers “to ensure that the system remains financially stable.”
NWW has about 7,000 ratepayers that include residences, businesses and industries. The proposed phased-in rate increase could eventually generate about $1 million a year when fully implemented in 2027.
The city has received federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act that Congress enacted last year to help communities recover from the economic impact of the COVID pandemic. Funds can be used for water and sewer infrastructure improvements.
The state also received millions of dollars to distribute to Mississippi cities and counties for water-sewer projects. Gibson said it’s uncertain how much Natchez can get from appropriations the state Legislature approved last week as it completed its 2022 session.
Natchez aldermen in 2013 declined a phased-in water rate increase requested by the NWW that would’ve eventually generated about $800,000 more a year to fix and improve the city’s water system, which has sewer lines and water pipes more than 100 years old.
While the Natchez Water Works is part of city government, it’s an independent agency governed by the Board of Water Commissioners appointed by the mayor and aldermen. However, NWW rate increases require the aldermen’s approval to be implemented.
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