Falls Church Council Votes to Raise Water Rates

The City of Falls Church City Council unanimously voted Monday night to increase water rates effective Oct. 1. Ninety percent of Falls Church's water customers live in McLean and Fairfax County.

The City Council tentatively approved the 8 percent increase in water rates in June, the first increase since 2005. Then gave final approval Monday night. The increase takes effect Oct. 1.

Falls Church and McLean have been sparring over this increase since the spring. Leading Falls Church officials, including the mayor and the city managers, visited the McLean Citizens Association's July meeting to talk to unhappy McLean customers.

The Falls Church officials explained and answered questions about the proposed price increase and the ongoing questions about a court decision in a recent case where Fairfax County successfully sued Falls Church City over its use of water revenues.*

The point of contention for McLean residents: McLean is served by Falls Church and not Fairfax County, which has lower rates. The rate increase approved by the city council is nearly $30 higher than Fairfax County rates, according to Falls Church reports.

Falls Church officials told the MCA that its rates are higher because they have fewer customers and higher costs. Monday night, Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields said the increase will help pay to buy water from the Washington Aqueduct and pay for electric for pumping stations, labor costs and asphalt, all of which have gone up in cost.

“The revenue from the increase is going to operating cost and capital,” Shields said. “We’re also planning for the future. This will allow us to set up debt services for capital and reserve funds.”

Dranesville Supervisor John Foust, who has recommended that Fairfax simply buy the Falls Church water system, said. "I am disappointed that Falls Church followed through with the rate increase but committed to taking action to protect Fairfax County residents from this injustice."

The board of supervisors has the authority to set the rates of any water authority providing service in the county, Foust said. "In May, the Falls Church water rate issue was referred to the Fairfax County Consumer Protection Commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the city’s rate-making actions," Foust said.

The commission is to report back to the supervisors on Sept. 27. The Board of Supervisors will study the CPC’s report to determine whether they can adjust the rates for water provided by Falls Church Water to Fairfax County customers, Foust explained.

"There is a strong desire on our board to rectify this long running problem. ... The two most obvious options include a merger with Fairfax Water or an outright purchase by Fairfax Water," Foust said.

MCA president Rob Jackson said Tuesday, "I am disappointed, but not surprised at, the action of the Falls Church City Council. But they did what they said they would do. I do think it would have been a better decision to hold off on the rate increase pending a decision by the City and Fairfax Water to merge. 

"A merger of the two utilities would give customers access to three water sources instead of only one or two and also allow Falls Church customers, including city residents, the ability to benefit from Fairfax Water’s larger scale of economies. A merger would most likely include a rate decrease, instead of a rate increase, for Falls Church customers," Jackson said
 
Fast Facts: Falls Church Water

Customers: 120,000 people in a 33 square-mile area that includes Severn Corners, Tysons Corner, Merrifield and McLean.

Prices: Currently $3.03 per 1,000 gallons. Will increase to $3.27 per 1,000 gallons Oct. 1.

Water bill based on use of 24,000 gallons per quarter:

Fairfax County: $57.31

Falls Church: $80.19 (current rates), $86.61 (proposed rate increase)

Source: Falls Church Fact Sheet

*Fairfax County successfully sued Falls Church to stop it from transferring excess revenue from water bills to the city's general operating budget. The judge's decree was delivered in January 2010.

Shields told the MCA in July that those transfers had totalled $2.2 million to $2.9 million per year.

at how the Falls Church water system gets water to your house.