Baltimore considers increasing water bills by 33 percent, charging new fees. (Mayo: 2015, how much)

[feck]

Baltimore residents would pay about 33 percent more for water — and be charged two new fees — under a three-year plan under consideration by city officials.Officials propose raising water rates by 9.9 percent each year through fiscal year 2018; sewer rates by 9 percent each year through 2018; and creating new charges for "infrastructure" and "account management."
Under the plan, a typical water bill for a residential customer could increase from $233.12 per quarter to $275.53 by 2019.
Baltimore collects $1 million in unpaid water bills

The city's finance and public work directors are recommending the rate increases to the Board of Estimates, which is controlled by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. A public hearing on the new charges is expected to be scheduled for 9 a.m. on Aug. 31.
Additionally, city officials say they plan to change how water use is billed. Public works officials expect to switch from a quarterly billing cycle to monthly bills, starting on Oct. 11.
City officials say the rate increases are needed to finish the "replacement of all residential and commercial water meters in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County." The new meters are being outfitted with wireless technology that is supposed to make meter-reading more accurate and improve the timeliness of billing.
The new system will eliminate the current minimum-use charges for properties that use little or no water. Instead, the city plans to begin charging an account management fee to pay for billing and customer-support services and an infrastructure charge to pay for costs related to fixing pipes and other infrastructure.
Cost of city's water meter overhaul rises

The management fee will be a set amount. The infrastructure fee will vary based on the size of the user's meter.
The increases also will help the city comply with federal and state mandates "protecting public health and environment, as well as investing in our aging underground water and sewer systems," officials said.
Baltimore has embarked on a six-year, $1.3 billion capital improvement plan for water projects that includes replacing water mains, covering open water reservoirs and rehabbing pumping stations. The city is also on a six-year, $701 million improvement plan for wastewater projects that includes massive upgrades at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Officials also plan to increase water rates in bulk purchases made by Howard, Carroll and Anne Arundel counties.
In Baltimore, water and wastewater services are, by law, self-sustaining operations that operate outside the traditional city budget process.
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[North Beach Person]

The increase in sewer is to be expected with the new treatment requirements. The replacement of minimum charges with a maintenance fee will most likely benefit those users.


I wonder how much of the overall increase is linked to unpaid delinquencies.