As a result of Charlottesville City Council's Monday decision to increase water rates starting Nov. 18, students living on-Grounds can anticipate a slightly colder winter, while off-Grounds students can look forward to paying higher water bills.
Rates for City residents will increase from $37.16 to $55.47 per 1,000 cubic feet of water. This represents a 50 percent increase over the rate hike that went into effect Sept. 17.
The University will pay slightly less than City residents -- $27 per 1,000 cubic feet -- because it gets its water from a wholesale source.
Because of recent water conservation efforts, City residents' bills have been lower and the City has earned less revenue, Council member Kevin Lynch said. The City has increased water rates to compensate for the loss of revenue.
"Water is free -- it is providing the service that costs money," Lynch said.
Lynch said the future of the rate increase is uncertain even if the water situation improves.
"I expect that this is a one-time increase and that the rates will go back down, but we are not out of the woods yet," Lynch said.
The reservoirs currently are at about 80 percent of capacity. Although the short-term water crisis has diminished, "we are still about a full year behind in rain water," Lynch said.
Lynch said the City probably will need to build a new reservoir, and that this could result in a drastic billing increase, which could be an extra $20 per month.
"By conserving we are delaying the point at which we will need a new infrastructure," Lynch said.
According to Cheryl Gomez, Facilities Management director of utilities at the University, the recent rate hike more than doubles what the University paid before drought restrictions were imposed.
"This increase is occurring when the University is already suffering from budgets cuts, so this is a pretty serious budget hit," Gomez said. "It will result in an additional $800,000 in costs per fiscal year."
In response to the Council ordinance, on-Grounds housing temperatures already have been lowered from 72 degrees to 68 degrees this winter, Gomez said.
"By lowering the temperature to 68 degrees, we will have to generate less steam at our heating plants and there will be energy savings by default," she said.
Gomez said she hopes such adjustments will make up for the water rate increase.
"I do not expect an increase in housing costs on Grounds, because we will offset the cost by savings in other areas," Gomez said.
Residents living off Grounds, on the other hand, can either choose to conserve water or pay higher bills.
Second-year College student Ann Councill, who plans on living in her sorority house next year, admits to being frustrated with the rising water rates.
"From my understanding, water will be rationed per house, not per resident, which means that 30 girls will have as much water rationed to them as a family of four," she said.
Councill anticipates that she and the three other girls she lives with now will begin using paper plates and paper cups to save on water use.
"I can be frustrated, but I can't be too mad because we are all at a loss," Councill said.
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