Greene County amends sanitary engineering specs and approves 3.5% water rate increase

The Greene County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 25 approved amendments to the county’s standard specifications and regulations for sanitary engineering and amended the regulations governing service rates for public water systems.

County staff said the revisions remove equipment that is no longer used in the field, add new materials that have entered the industry, and permit adjustments to installations such as water meter pits and check valves. Staff also recommended a 0% adjustment for sewer service rates and a 3.5% increase for water service rates under the regulation changes.

“...we're recommending a 0% increase [to sewer] but we are recommending with this piece of legislation a 3.5% increase to water,” a staff presenter said while outlining the revisions following a work session attended by Mark Chandler and Randy Gilbert.

A motion to amend the sanitary engineering standards and to amend the regulations for public water-system service rates was moved, seconded and approved by the board.

Next steps: county staff will publish the updated specifications and implement the adjusted service-rate regulation according to county procedures.