Car wash water use gets look
By Matthew Whittle
Published in News on December 23, 2007 2:01 AM
As the city of Goldsboro prepares to finish sending out December water bills, some city commercial car washes might have slightly higher charges than normal as a provision of the Mandatory Conservation Phase III ordinance begins to be implemented.
Included in the ordinance is a measure requiring such businesses to reduce their annual average consumption by 30 percent. If those businesses do not, any usage exceeding the 30 percent reduction will result in an excess demand surcharge of double water and sewer rates.
For example, explained city Planning Director Randy Guthrie, if a business averages 10,000 gallons of water, then it is required to reduce that amount to 7,000 gallons. If it uses anything above those 7,000 gallons, then it will be required to pay double on that amount.
The current water and sewer rates are $1.45 per 750 gallon and $4.17 per 750 gallons, respectively.
Personal and all other commercial vehicle washing are still prohibited.
Further tiered billing is not in effect yet, although it is still an option, city officials noted.
"We have had discussions about that, but we have not implemented anything yet," Assistant City Manager Tasha Logan said.
There are, however, Guthrie added, further tiered provisions included in future stages of the mandatory conservation ordinance.
"I think that under some of the other phases we could go to, if you increase your water usage, you could have a demand surcharge," he said.