WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Proposed water rate hike has customers in Botetourt County upset

Proposed water rate hike has customers in Botetourt County upset

Some Botetourt County residents are trying to sink efforts to raise their water rates.

They say their water company is trying to raise the price nearly 70 percent.

"There are just little dollar bills coming out of the faucet now."

The Harvey's moved to the Blue Ridge neighborhood five years ago.

Soon after, water rates went up.

"They raised it where we're paying about $39 a month," says homeowner and Aqua Virginia customer, Rick Harvey.

Now another increase could take that bill to $60 a month.

"We accept that certain things go up, but this isn't necessary," says Diana Harvey.

Water company, Aqua Virginia wants more than $3 million dollars for what it calls system improvements.

"Our company invests into the water systems and we can only earn what we've invested," says Greg Odell with Aqua Virginia.

County supervisor Billy Martin says that's not the full story.

Martin says Aqua Virginia spent $44 million dollars in upgrades, but only about a million of that was for local customers.

"Why do they need to charge the people in Botetourt County. All this money is for the people of the rest of Virginia, it's not fair," says Botetourt County Supervisor Billy Martin.

The SCC is set to take up the water issue early next year, but Botetourt County residents like the Harvey's could see the increases as early as next month.

"What I wonder about this is, they obviously have a large amount of gall and they have a large amount of greed. Not sure what they have more of, but they have an over abundance of both," says Harvey.

The SCC takes up the issue in February.

In the meantime, the Harveys are looking at their options and hoping the proposal will be dead in the water.