UPDATE 9:30pm:
Higher water bills are on the way to folks in Rocky Mount.
Monday night, the town adopted a resolution to raise water and sewer rates by 51 percent over the next four years.
Rocky Mount Town Manager James Ervin tells WDBJ7 the average customer is billed about $22 a month.
With these increases, they'll be paying about $33 a month four years from now.
Town leaders say the rate increase is needed because current rates don't cover the basic costs of providing water and sewer service.
Ervin says the town has gotten to the point where cash reserves are dwindling, and the town was borrowing money to pay for basic, small repairs. He says these increases will take some financial burden off of the town.
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People who live in Rocky Mount may experience "sticker shock" when they open their water bills. Tonight the town council may decide whether to raise rates by as much as 51%. Town leaders say a rate increase is needed because current rates don't even come close to covering the basic costs of providing water and sewer service. The current charge for a minimum bill is $22.50. That charge represents 3,000 gallons of water. If city leaders go ahead and approve the increase, the new minimum charge would be $34.02. We'll let you know what the city council decides.
