The city is proposing a possible increase in the water rate for the unregistered Pima County
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) – The city is proposing a potential increase in the water rate for Pima County without a legal personality.
People from the city of Tucson say this is something that is usually done by most water utility companies operating outside of their jurisdiction.
“If you look at cities in Arizona that, like Tucson, serve outside their city limits, all but one have a different rate,” said Tim Thomure during the virtual town hall.
Thomure, the interim assistant city manager, says the increase is justified.
“Customers who live in an area without legal personality, many of them are in septic tank systems. When the city delivers its water resources to these areas, it doesn’t get the water back in the form of sewage like it does in the city, ”he said.
Thomure says this is due to differences in infrastructure.
Now the mayor and the council decide between eight options.
“These options can range from a flat rate difference between 10% and 50%. They are also looking at three different options starting with a lower base across the board, but the higher they are, the higher the percentages of water you are using, ”he added.
In other words, the more you use, the more you pay.
“This is to create incentives for conservation and lower water consumption,” said Thomure.
Although some people who attended the virtual meeting say it is unfair –
“This situation is unnecessary and you are hurting a lot of people in the process,” he said.
Incorporated cities like Marana, Oro Valley and Sahuarita, which operate their own water utilities, would not be affected by the change. Catalina Foothills, the area southwest of Tucson along the Valencia Corridor, Three Points, the northern Avra Valley, and Corona de Tucson are some of the main areas with varying rates.
There will be another virtual town hall on May 25th, then the Mayor and City Council will meet on June 8th to make a decision.
“If the differential rates would come into force at the beginning of July,” said Thomure.
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