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Rates
Current Schedule of Rates, Fees and Charges
The current schedule of rates, fees and charges may
be viewed by clicking the link below.
Fairfax Water rates remain the lowest in the region.
Click here to view a comparison chart of local water rates.
NOTICE OF WATER RATE PUBLIC HEARING
A public hearing on proposed revisions is scheduled for
6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2008, at Fairfax Water’s offices
at 8570 Executive Park Avenue, Fairfax, VA. Directions can be found
by clicking here. To speak at the hearing or obtain a copy of the proposed
Schedule of Rates, Fees and Charges, please call (703) 698-5600, TTY
711.
Fairfax Water is proposing revisions to its Schedule of Rates, Fees
and Charges, to be effective with meter readings taken on or after
April 1, 2009. The proposed revision includes increases in the Water
Usage (Commodity) Charge (from $1.70 to $1.83 per 1,000 gallons) and
Quarterly Billing Service Charge (from $6.25 to $7.05). Increases in
various other charges are also proposed.
A copy of the
proposed rate schedule may be viewed or downloaded by clicking here.
The economic and service considerations outlined below contributed
to the need for the proposed rate increase. Even with the proposed
increase, Fairfax Water’s rates will remain the lowest in the
Washington metropolitan region.
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Continuing to
effectively meet the financial challenges of the water industry
is vital to meeting the long-term interest of our customers.
Fairfax Water is one of a handful of water organizations in the
country to obtain a Triple-A bond rating for sound financial
management from the top three independent rating agencies. We
believe that the proposed rate increase continues this tradition
of sound financial management and will safeguard our Triple-A
rating, which translates to lower interest rates and lower
overall costs.
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High inflationary
cost increases for fuel, power, chemical and construction
materials have continued to be absorbed by Fairfax Water over
the last several years. Our rates process has smoothed the
effect of those increases to the degree possible. These types of
expenses are not avoidable in the treatment and delivery of
water, and in the responsible operation and maintenance of the
water system.
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Fairfax Water has one mission – to provide water
of exceptional quality and reliability. We completed the new
Griffith Water Treatment Plant and are nearing completion of
upgrades at our Corbalis Treatment Plant. Both of these
facilities use state-of-the-art technology such as ozonation,
which means that our water will continue to surpass all water
quality standards for the foreseeable future. Construction of
the Griffith plant and expansion of the Corbalis plant totaled
over $400 million in capital spending. Another $600 million will
be spent on capital projects over the next ten years to
guarantee exceptional and reliable service.
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Fairfax Water’s most important resource is our
workforce. Labor and labor-related costs make up 54 percent of
our costs. Like many organizations, our health care costs have
increased annually. We also have an obligation to ensure that
our retirement plan remains viable for those who have provided
dedicated service to Fairfax Water and competitive enough to
attract employees who have the level of technical and
engineering expertise needed in the water industry.
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