Falls Church City Council Defers Approving Water Rate Increase

There were two City Council members absent but the five in attendance at Monday night's meeting voted to defer an eight percent water rate increase until Sept. 12.

Ninety percent of Falls Church water customers live in Fairfax County including McLean residents.

Councilmen Lawrence Webb and Dave Snyder were the only two who opposed deferring the increase stating the increase was needed ensure the infrastructure of the water system would be maintained and kept at a high standard.

“I view this whole rate increase as a way to maintain the infrastructure of the system,” Snyder said after the meeting. “I felt we had to move forward tonight.”

Monday was supposed to be the second reading of the proposal that would see water rates increase by eight percent. Instead council voted not to increase the rates now but, they will defer until Sept. 12 when a Circuit Court judge can assess the proposal to assure it’s in accordance with an earlier ruling that says revenue from an increase has to equal expenses.

City Council approved 6-0 the first reading of an ordinance to amend the water service rates in June. For the average household, the quarterly (three-month) water bill would increase between $2 and $7, depending on consumption. 

The proposal would increase water service rates by 8 percent, she said.  The current water commodity charge is $3.03 per 1,000 gallons.  The proposed rate would increase the commodity charge to $3.27 per 1,000 gallons in fiscal year 2012.

Councilman Ira Kaylin made the motion to defer the water rate increase, stating: “The Court’s Final Decree also provided that the City must comply with Section 13.09 of the City Charter “in setting water rates that, in the judgment of the City Council, will result in receipts equal to expense (including any future expense of the water system).”  The proposed rate increase is expected to result in receipts of the water system equal to expense, including any future expense of the water system.  As a result, this rate increase, if adopted, will also be in compliance in this regard with the Final Decree I just mentioned.”

Ted Smith of the McLean Citizens Association said council’s decision to defer gives Falls Church Water customers time to do more lobbying. Smith recommended Falls Church Water merge with Fairfax Water to form one company.

“Rates are going to go sky high once they address the development of Tysons,” Smith said following the meeting speaking of plans to add several new tall buildings to the bustling business district. “I don’t think the customers in Falls Church City are going to want to pay for them to have to put water lines in a 20 or 30-story building. I know we in McLean don’t want to pay for that.”

Dranesville Supervisor John Foust proposed last week that the Fairfax Water  Authority buy the Falls Church Authority. Fairfax rates are about $30 cheaper.

Kirk Randall, who lives in Fairfax but spoke at the meeting for his father who still lives in McLean thought deferring the vote, was a good idea. Randall promised to alert the city’s accountants to scrutinize the city’s accounting records to determine whether it assesses inflated charges to the water fund, and to raise other questionable ratemaking practices.

“Had they not deferred, I was going to contact them,” Randall said. “But I’m laying off now.”

As several customers from McLean and areas of Falls Church located in Fairfax County spoke during the public speaking session of the meeting, the common thread was they don’t want to see increases and will do anything to get that point across.

Cheryl Arvidson, of Falls Church, said the best way to be heard is to partake in an economic boycott of services in the City of Falls Church. For the last two weeks, Arvidson has done just that, resorting to eat and shop at establishments outside the “Little City.