POA Raises Water Rates, Assessments

Jeremy Styron News Herald

As part of a budget plan calling for $1.7 million in capital spending, including a pavilion and parking expansion at Toqua Golf Course and eight new pickleball courts, the Tellico Village Property Owners Association this past week voted to increase water and sewer rates and assessment fees for 2014.

The water and sewer rate was increased by 5 percent to offset operating costs, service fees and to maintain the 25-year-old system, and another 5 percent was included to provide long-term funding for the POA's water and sewer reserve fund.

"This system has been in the ground over 25 years, and it's starting to show," Finance Director Parker Owen said, noting that the POA's current water rates have not been adequate to cover costs. He said the POA has had losses in five of the last six years.

The last water rate increase took place in 2009, and the last sewer increase was in 2010.

The 2014 budget also includes a 4.91 percent assessment increase, which is up $5 from 2013. The new rate will be $106.75.

The POA's current rate for water is $22.57 per 5,000 gallons, while the price for sewer is $28.04 per 5,000 gallons.

A 10 percent rate increase equals about $213,000 per year.