Plains looks to equalize water meters

by Danielle Switalski
| June 9, 2010 11:12 AM

The town of Plains is currently looking for ways to equalize the water usage among all the residences throughout town.

As the town of Plains expanded years ago, some residences were not set up to the town's water meter system properly, meaning the town was not earning its share of money for the water that is supposed to be allotted to each residence.

A single residence is required by state law to be connected to the water system by a three-quarter inch pipe-line allocating 4,000 gallons of water for $17 a month to each residence as the standard fee. While growing, some lots have only one three-quarter inch line connected to multiple residences and according to Plains Mayor Michael Brinson the additional homes on a lot are not paying their share of the water usage.

"In the past there were places, some trailers, that are connected three and four on one three-quarter inch line, and the usage isn't so great. After checking on this we're finding out there is a considerable number of these residences and if you have a house and have a trailer in your yard you've been renting all these years, you could still only be paying one water bill," said Brinson, who estimated around 100 residences are not paying the standard $17 to be connected to the town's water because they were not properly metered in the past.

Currently, the town and the Water Board are under discussion as to what would be the best route to take for all residences to pay the same share.

"It may be that the town will have to go around and put a meter on each one of these residences, which will cost the town $100, which isn't a lot of money, but then the town will start recouping the money that we should have been getting for the last 40 years," said Brinson.

Metering every residence that is currently unmetered is one option the town is looking into in order to generate the appropriate revenue.

The town recently had an engineering study conducted on its water and sewer system that determined the town needs to put in a new water storage tank and a new 12 inch supply line running from the top of the hill in town down to McGowan Street and Clayton Street to Central. This project will cost roughly $1.9 million.

The money generated by equalizing the water meters throughout town would in part go towards this project.

"If we went to borrow the money or get a grant we were told from the study that we would have to do add $18 a month to the now $17 a month water bill. People would be so upset. It's very touchy. Something is going to have to be done whether it's this (meter additions) or a water increase," said Brinson.

There will be a public meeting held at the end of June to take public comment and further discuss the town's options.