HAMLET – As the August water bills were received by customers of the City of Hamlet, many of them who saw increases expressed distress, calling City Hall and speaking with various staff, with City Manager Jonathan Blanton getting his share of the calls, as well as office visits, from people not prepared for the changes they saw. In addition to the regular water and sewer bills, many who have sprinkler systems and swimming pools also saw an increase.
Information about the changes beginning with the 2018-2019 fiscal year in the water and sewer rates has been included with the regular monthly bills for the past 3 months, to inform and prepare those on the local water system. In order to raise needed revenue and make fees more consistent, a new system was approved in May by the Hamlet City Council to calculate water and sewer rates. However, many people often overlook “extra information” received accompanying their bills, focusing on the actual bill. The base water fee is now $18 for inside the city limits, down from $21. The sewer rate is reduced from $16 to $13. A decrease was also approved for those living outside the city limits.
For residents using 1,000 gallons or less, a small decrease should be noted. The next two tiers of 1,000-2,500 gallons and 2,500-5,000 gallons each have an additional charge. Customers with sprinkler systems often use 15,000 gallons or more; one local resident used over 100,000 gallons this past month to keep his lawn green. Separate meters for sprinkler systems and swimming pools are also available.
Blanton stated, “This is the first water rate increase in ten years, and the first sewer rate increase in fifteen years. Major upgrades are needed with existing facilities. The Council of Governments recently did a study and concluded that we need $40 million worth of upgrades to provide needed services to Hamlet. When comparing our town to similar sized towns like Robbins, our water and sewer rates are much lower. I am glad to talk with anyone about their concerns about their water bill, over the phone or in person. Citizens are welcome to attend the City Council meeting on August 14 to address the members of the City Council also.”
