The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

June 29, 2009

In Princeville, water-sewer expensive

Town charges $64.78 for minimum usage monthly to cover expenses

W. TERRY SMITH

PRINCEVILLE — Every time a Princeville resident complains about their utility bill, Mayor Delia Perkins points across the river to Tarboro.

But is Tarboro to blame for the high rates? What about the company in Bailey that maintains Princeville’s water lines? What about years of officials doing nothing toward having its own treatment plant? The town sits right beside the Tar River.

Princeville buys its water from Tarboro, which boasts the lowest rates of any neighboring municipality. Tarboro sells water to Princeville at "1.5 times the in-town rate schedule plus applicable meter ties."

“I understand anytime you buy from someone else, you have to pay more,” said Princeville Mayor Delia Perkins. “They have to get theirs off the top.”

In March, Tarboro charged Princeville $7,268 for 3.1 million gallons of water. In April, Tarboro charged Princeville $9,053 for 3.9 million gallons of water. In May, Tarboro charged Princeville $8,311 for 3.6 million gallons of water.

That’s about 55 percent of the monthly water expenses.

In addition, according to water fund budget figures supplied by Town Attorney Anthony Flanagan, each month Princeville pays for two clerks (one for billing and one for collections) at about $1,229 per month; $86 per month for telephone and postage; $63 for vehicle maintenance and repair; $67.50 per month for a permit; $750 for debt service; and another $1,250 goes into capital reserves, as required by state law.

In addition, the water fund must cover unbilled water for Town Hall, the Princeville Volunteer Fire Department, seniors citizens center and park building, which totals between $1,700 and $2,000 each month.

EnviroLink out of Bailey is contracted for $5,046 a month (about 30 percent of the monthly expense) to maintain the lines. And if any materials or supplies are needed, that’s an additional expense, so the town budgets $295 per month.

Sewer charges are higher. Tarboro charges $4.60 for each gallon of sewage it receives and treats.

In March, Tarboro charged Princeville $15,147 for 3.3 million gallons of sewage. In April, Tarboro charged Princeville $18,627 for 4 million gallons of sewage. And in May, Tarboro charged Princeville $17,192 for 3.7 million gallons of sewage. That's about 54 percent of total sewer expenses

Again, according to sewer fund figures supplied by the town attorney, each month Princeville pays for two clerks (one for billing and one for collections) at about $1,229 per month; $86 per month for telephone and postage; between $1,770 to $2,000 for related utilities; another $1,250 goes into capital reserves, as required by state law.

EnviroLink is contracted for $5,046 a month (about 30 percent of total expenses) to maintain the lines. And if any materials or supplies are needed, that’s additional. In March, the town spent $1,391 for materials and supplies plus $2,168 for maintenance and repair.

In April, the town spent $518 for materials and supplies plus $1,178 for maintenance and repair. In May, the town spent $3,850 for materials and supplies and $823.70 for maintenance and repair.

Princeville has been getting charged $2.94 per gallon for the first 9,000 gallons its uses and then $2.25 per gallon for any over 10,000 gallons. That rate changes on Wednesday (July 1) to a flat $2.25 per 1,000 gallons.

Princeville charges its residents a basic fee of $21.45 for 3,000 gallons of water per month and $43.33 per month for 3,000 gallons of sewage. Or, $64.78 for both per month.

In April, Princeville water-sewer bills increased when it began charging residents for what they used. Previously, the town covered about a third of the residents' bills from the general fund.

In fact, Priscilla Everette-Oates successfully campaigned on lowering water bills when she was elected in 2002.

The state Local Government Commission put a halt to that this year. It’s against state law. Nevertheless, flyers are distributed that urge residents to attend town meetings to protest the higher water-sewer bills.

“What the citizens have to understand is we aren’t trying to hurt them,” Mayor Perkins said. “You have to pay your bills.”

The town is talking with the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners about taking over the Princeville system. It also has hired Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. (HRG) in Pennsylvania to do a feasibility study.

Meanwhile, Princeville has four years left on a 40-year contract with Tarboro.

"I am confident no one on Town Council would object if Princeville wanted to end the agreement," said Tarboro Town Manager Sam Noble.

Tarboro's water rates are lower than those in Rocky Mount, Greenville and Wilson.

Also, if Princeville got its water from some other source, it would still have to pay Tarboro for sewer.

Knight has applied for grants to replace water meters and repair pipes.

He's convinced the old lines leak.

Princeville has 768 water customers and in February reported it averaged using 108,226 gallons of water and 111,891 gallons of sewer daily.

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