Water notice of inflation?
 

I received a letter today from the Central Sumter Utility Company letting me know that due to inflation our water rates will rise 2.5% for water and wastewater 1.3% beginning December 29th.

Are we in an inflationary period that I didn't know about?

Water rates were already ridiculous! Received our notice also.

Hey, we got an increase of 1.5% in Social Security so others have to get their share of the pie, don't they?

Anyone know if their actual expenses justified a rate increase?

Or is this just another increase for even more higher profits just because they were allowed to increase the rates needed or not?

Well, I wasn't aware that we were in an "inflationary" period but apparently there was 1.2% inflation in 2013 through November.

Which section of The Villages uses Central Sumter Utility Company? I am North of 466 and we do not use them.

We use them south of 466A.

Look's to me that's about. 40 cents on the base. seem's ok to me.

S.S. goes up 1.5% and water goes up 2.5%. Anybody else besides me have a problem with that? Seems like a "principle" has been broken here----yes, actual money is small but......

[QUOTE=justjim;800964]S.S. goes up 1.5% and water goes up 2.5%. Anybody else besides me have a problem with that? Seems like a "principle" has been broken here----yes, actual money is small but......[/

Nothing much you can do about it, is there? I don't think it is allowed in The Villages to dig a well on your lot and to put up an outhouse - but since I do not live South of 466A, I don't know for sure.

It seems my amenities fee went up recently also. It was $145, now its $146.55... As justjim said, it's a small amount of money, but......

At our house, we try very hard to conserve water (both for environmental reasons and money savings). The 2.5% increase kinda makes the latter reason moot.

End of rant...it is what it is I guess. sigh

Just because the cost of living increase applied to S.S. was determined to be 1.5% does not mean that every item in your budget will go up 1.5%. So if the water rate is up 2.5% it does not necessarily mean that your cost for all of your expenses in 2014 will increase by more than the 1.5% S.S. increase.

The water billing is redundant beginning with a base rate followed by two tiers for water and three tiers for irrigation plus a sewer base and a 5% utility tax potable. This multiple tier system does not exist in other parts of Florida

The VCCDD incorporates 4 utilities: Village Center, Little Sumter, North Sumter county and Central Sumter.

I am one of those residents that some on TOTV label as a complainer because I contacted the Utility to determine what ll the charges meant. While they were cooperative they were not helpful because I never really got an answer.

In my view we will never get an answer nor will any complaints create any relief. Given that the 5 county commissioners fall under Sumter One and at least one past VHA president is on the St Johns Water Management Dist.

The water issue is one of those whereby people in charge speak with a forked tongue. If you complain about rates they respond with the issue of the shortage of water and water management. If the issue is more development then there is always sufficient water available to meet new demands.

I hope there are enough complainers out there because rates are going to go in only one direction

The Company is a Developer-owned monopoly, which is trying to maximize profits. Perhaps you could ask the POA to look into whether the rate increase is justified-- which it may be. You won't accomplish much by merely attacking the rate increase here, except stirring up the ire of the Developerphiles.

You mean ridiculously low, don't you?