The City of Raleigh is in a tough spot.
Since the drought of 2007-2008, Raleigh Public Utilities (and WakeUP) has been encouraging water conservation by residents, and the program has resulted in less water being used per person today than ever before. That’s great for protecting our drinking water and we need to keep conserving water, but it means that Raleigh is bringing in less money from water and stormwater fees. At the same time, Public Utilities is facing a growing number of old pipes that need to be replaced to keep our water system functioning properly.
A simple solution? A small increase in water fees and stormwater fees paid by residents will help pay for many of the infrastructure improvements needed. Raleigh is proposing adding just $1 per month for stormwater fees to help cover these costs, which would bring the fees to $5 each month (and that’s still the lowest rate in the Triangle). Water fees would go up by just 4%. WakeUP Wake County will be supporting the Raleigh City Council when this increase is included in their annual budget, because improving our water system is crucial as our region continues to grow. You can read more about the fee increases here.