Georgia’s utilities use many different rate
structures under an economic regulatory framework that has few
rate setting requirements. These different rates and rate structures
have financial impacts on revenue stability, household expenditures,
and water use behavior. Different rate strategies influence resource
use differently and, conversely, efforts to curtail resource use
(for example, conservation) have unique revenue impacts depending
on a utility’s rates, rate structure, and customer base.
Despite the critical nature of these impacts, little is known
about rate structure design among utilities across the State.
This survey is far more comprehensive than past surveys which
have had small sample sizes and represented only the largest systems
in the State. Survey results comprise rate information for more
than 95 percent of all customers served by public water systems
in the State.
A novel customer expenditure model developed by EFC was used to
calculate water and wastewater bills for any consumption amount.
The development of the model represents a breakthrough in the
methodology for carrying out large sample size utility rate surveys.
For the first time in such studies, customer bills were calculated
across a spectrum of customer consumption, rather than one or
two discrete consumption levels (e.g. the bill for 5,000 gallons
consumed). The results give insight to the rate setting objectives
in place at a particular utility. For example, a utility might
have particularly high bills at large consumption levels to encourage
resource conservation or particularly low bills at small consumption
levels to make the minimum level of services more affordable.
Tables of the results and a report summarizing main findings are
all available in Adobe pdf format above.
For more information, contact Program Manager, Andrew Westbrook
(westbrok@sog.unc.edu)
or Outreach Coordinator, Stacey Isaac Berahzer (isaac@sog.unc.edu).
Annual
Reports and Tables of Rates and Rate Structures
FY06-07 Rates The Environmental Finance Center
and the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority collected
and analyzed 439 water and wastewater rate structures for 415
public service providers in Georgia. It is estimated that the
rate structures in this survey pertain to over 95% of the public
water system customers across the State. This information can
assist elected officials and staff as they make decisions related
to water and wastewater services during budget preparations.
Click the links below to access different components of this
project:
To view your utility's rate sheet for Fiscal Year 2006-07, please select from the drop down menu. A pdf file of 2-9 pages will appear (requires Adobe Reader). Please note that some utilities may have more than one rate sheet.
Rates as of February 2007. Contact the utilities directly for the latest, most accurate information.
Presentations
and Additional Analyseson Rates,
Rate Structures, Systems Characteristics and Policies
Publications
EFC (2007). Water Pricing Signals in Georgia. EFC, Chapel Hill, NC.
A short memorandum analyzing water price signals and specificially price signals for water conservation among utilities across Georgia using data from the 2006-07 Georgia Water and Sewer Rates Survey
GEFA and EFC (2007). “2006-07 Georgia Water and Sewer Rates Survey”. 2007 Georgia Water Resources Conference, Athens, GA..
This presentation, which was made during the 2007 Georgia Water Resources Conference, included a discussion about GEFA and the EFC and the impetus behind the Rates Survey in Georgia as well as methodology, response rates and results from the Survey.
EFC (2007). “Residential Water and Sewer Rates in Georgia”. 2007 Georgia Water Resources Conference, Athens, GA..
This paper, submitted to the 2007 Georgia Water Resources Conference, contains a discussion of the residential water rates and customer's bills based on data from the 2006-07 Rates Survey. It also contains a brief dicussion on the pricing and revenue stability implications of various rate structures in Georgia.
EFC (2007). “Water and Wastewater Rates and Rates Structures in Georgia”. 2007 Paying for Water Conference, USEPA, Atlanta, GA..
This poster was presented at the Paying for Water Conference hosted by the US EPA in Atlanta in 2007. Graphs and figures depict rates and rate setting trends across the state in 2006-07.
Thorsten, Rich, Shadi Eskaf and Jeff Hughes. “Cost Plus – Estimating Real Determinants of Water and Sewer Bills”.
An academic article examining the relationships between various inputs and the bills being charged to customers for water and sewer service. This article is under review.
How to Participate
in This Year’s Survey
If you represent a local government or not-for-profit water/sewer utility in Georgia which provides residential retail water/sewer services, we invite you to participate in the 2008 Survey.
To participate, please send us a complete copy of your current water and wastewater rate schedule, including rates for residential and commercial customers, “inside” and “outside” rates, seasonal rates and rates in different service districts. Please also indicate the billing period applicable for the rates shown in your rate schedule (monthly, bi-monthly, etc).
You can either e-mail, fax or mail your rate schedule to:
1)
be sure to put “GA Rates Collection” in the subject heading)
2) Fax: (919) 843-2528 with “Attn: GA Rates Collection”
3) Mail: Environmental Finance Center
Attn: GA Rates Collection
P.O.Box 671346
Marietta, GA 30066
Be sure to include a contact name, address, phone number and email to indicate where survey results should be sent.
In addition, please complete a short 5-10 minute questionnaire regarding your utilities' water conservation policies and financial management practices. The questionnaire is available here. If you have trouble accessing it, please contact Stacey Berahzer at (770) 509-3887 or Andrew Westbrook at (919) 966-4199. You may also download a printable version of the questionnaire (pdf) if you are unable to access the on-line version, or would like to preview the questions. Thank you for your participation.
The Georgia Environmental Facilities
Authority (GEFA) is an agency of the State of Georgia, created
by an act of the General Assembly in 1983, specifically
to provide low interest water and wastewater loans to Georgia's
local governments. Our Mission is to Provide financing and
other support services for infrastructure improvements,
energy programs and fuel storage systems that result in
a cleaner environment for all Georgians.
The Environmental Finance Center (EFC),
based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
and with an office in Atlanta, serves the Southeast region
for the US EPA's Environmental Finance Program. EFC works
with local communities and government agencies to address
environmental management challenges by developing innovative
financial management and environmental policy strategies
and systems.
Association County Commissioners of Georgia, www.accg.org
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection
Division, www.gadnr.org/epd/
Georgia Association of Water Professionals, www.gawp.org/
Georgia Rural Water Association, www.grwa.org
Georgia Municipal Association, www.gmanet.com
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, www.dca.state.ga.us
