You'll See Higher Water Rates, and Maybe a New Commissioner

Next month, residents on Pasco County’s utility system will begin paying more for their water and sewer service and some residents will be represented by a different county commissioner.

After public hearings Tuesday that produced no comment from the public, county commissioners approved higher utility rates that will go up annually for the next four years and carved the county into new commission districts.

The new rates and new district map go into effect Oct. 1.

The new water and sewer rate will add $5.44 to the monthly bill of a household that uses 6,000 gallons, an amount utility officials consider the average.

That means a current bill of $59.77 would rise to $65.21 for 6,000 gallons of water in October. The new rate structure includes annual increases for the next four years. The current $59.77 bill would reach $71.97 a month by 2015.

The amount considered average comes to about 200 gallons a day, or 100 gallons a day for two people. Households that use more would see a larger increase.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District estimates each member of a household uses an average of 111 gallons a day.

A residential customer using 10,000 gallons a month would see rates rise from this month’s $87.94 to $97.64 in October and $107.85 in 2015.

The rates include increases for other services. A homeowner’s deposit for water and sewer would go from a current $120 to $163 in October and $180 in 2015.

The county will charge less for reclaimed water as an enticement for residents to use more. The flat residential fee of $15.27 a month would fall to $11.05 by 2015.

Utility officials told commissioners the new rates of $65.21 are in line with surrounding counties for 6,000 gallons a month. Hillsborough would charge $58.38, and Pinellas residents would pay $65.57.

Hernando County utility customers would pay $47.37.

The new rates affect about 99,000 household and retail customers.

Redistricting Gets Green Light

Commissioners also approved new district maps, an exercise they perform every 10 years as new Census data shows population shifts.

The goal is to have roughly the same number of residents in each district.

The new maps siphon residents from the central Pasco district around Land O’ Lakes to surrounding areas that saw less population growth since 2000.

It is the first time Land O’ Lakes will be represented by more than a single county commissioner.

Commissioners Henry Wilson and Ann Hildebrand will share Land O’ Lakes with Commissioner Pat Mulieri, who said Tuesday she was happy to split the sprawling district.

The Pasco County School Board also will have new districts and during an August meeting with commissioners members agreed with the map commissioners approved Tuesday.

The school board, though, will take a separate vote on its districts.

Planners aimed for commission districts with about 93,000 residents each.

Before the split, Mulieri’s District 2 had 139,689 residents, while other districts ranged from the smallest District 5 in northwest Pasco at 70,422 to the second largest, District 1 in eastern Pasco at 87,886.

“I’ll be glad to get down to 93,000 people,” Mulieri said Tuesday.