Starting next year, Wake County residents could be paying more on their water bills.
Raleigh's city leaders are discussed the rate hike on Monday to determine if customers should have to pay more to do everyday things like shower, cook and clean.
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The City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department provides water and sanitary sewer service to approximately 195,000 metered water and sewer customers and a service population of approximately 570,000 people in Raleigh, Garner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon areas.
How much more will water customers have to pay? Staff members are recommending a 3 percent increase in billing next year. To the average residential customer, they say, that comes out to about $1.68 per month.
Some city council members say it is not fair for residents to have to pay just because there is wear and tear on the infrastructure.
"We're trying to balance two things here. We're trying to balance on the one hand modernizing and updating the system, and to be honest, there's a component of them that concerns growth in the future and one of the things I'm concerned about is requesting our residents to fun that future growth," said Councilman David Cox.
The department is asking to raise the prices to meet the financial needs of the utility and meet the city's financial policies.
According to officials, the average cost for sewer service in Raleigh is $200 less a year than the southeast U.S. average.
No decision was made and the issue will be once again discussed at the next meeting.