After more than a year of controversy and litigation over what it does with its profits, the Falls Church water utility is set to raise water prices this month — a move already drawing the scrutiny of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Falls Church is proposing an 8 percent rate increase for next year, between 2 to 6 cents more per gallon, that could grow to a 30 percent increase by 2015.
But some say the city is only raising rates to recoup the money the water utility lost after a judge ruled that it could no longer charge Fairfax residents more than it was charging Falls Church customers and then shifting those profits to the utility’s operating budget.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is questioning the rate increase. A report on the Falls Church proposal is due before the Fairfax board Sept. 27.
“We’re disappointed that they are raising rates,” said County Supervisor John Foust. “If the rates are not justified, I for one would want to exercise our authority to set rates that are justified.”
Customers served by Fairfax County’s water authority paid $57.31 for 24,000 gallons of water as of July 1; Fairfax customers of Falls Church Water paid $80.19.
But Falls Church officials say the higher prices are necessary to keep the water system going and that the money will be used to maintain pipes and pumps.
“Frankly, maintaining the quality and safety of the system is my one and only objective,” said Falls Church Vice Mayor David Snyder. “If you don’t invest in a system and you don’t provide adequate rates for the system, deterioration is inevitable.”
Snyder said Falls Church officials would resent it if Fairfax chose to override the utility’s decision to raise rates, noting that the city’s rates were among the lowest in the Washington area.
“We don’t feel they have the right to set our rates and by doing so would inject politics into what needs to be a purely objective process,” he said.
A judge on Aug. 18 dismissed several lawsuits filed by the county and various businesses demanding refunds for Fairfax County residents who paid higher prices to supplement Falls Church’s operating funds.
