Misleading Water Rates Cause Resident Alarm

HARRISON - The April 22 town board vote approving a 28 percent increase in water rates promoted even wider spread resident concern because of misleading figures in the mayor's presentation prior to the vote.

In her presentation Harrison Supervisor/Mayor Joan Walsh stated that the annual cost of water for Harrison residents would be over $600, a number that set off great apprehension among residents.

The Mayor has now faced those concerns with a follow-up statement and an apology for the unnecessary worry the quoted figure promoted.

"I sincerely regret and apologize that I missed that line in the presentation that was given to me, and did not ask for a better breakdown," Walsh said.

Walsh acknowledged that many people had been unnecessarily alarmed. She said that, while the figure quoted was based in fact, it was inaccurate as an indicator of residents' water bills.  

"It is true that if you add up all the water sold in the town, and divide that by the number of properties, the result is $602.34," Walsh explained.  "But that average included all the golf courses, all the office buildings and all the schools - not just the homeowners."

Walsh reassured town residents that the numbers they would see on their water bills would be substantially lower than that figure.

"I asked for a breakdown of bills by neighborhoods, by the book where meter readings are logged in.  It showed that, by neighborhood, the lowest average bill was $261.12, with most areas in the $300's to $400's annually," Walsh said. "Four books did have averages of just over $1,000, however these were the areas in which our golf courses and office buildings are located."

Walsh went on to explain that the water rate increase will amount to a much lesser change to individual homeowners' bills.

"The  28 percent increase will amount to about $72 to $112 per year for homeowners. Not per bill – but per year.  It won't be evenly divided between the four billing cycles, as most of us use more water in the spring and summer on our lawns and gardens, however, the annual total will be in that range," she said.

Walsh reiterated  earlier comments as to why the increase had been necessary. Citing past mismanagement and relatively flat rates before last year's mild nine percent increase.

"I really dislike saying so often that we are correcting the mistakes of the past – but unfortunately it is true," she said. "Last year the Water Works Board of Trustees hired a manager who understood how to run a Water Works in this day and age.  Every facet of the business has been re-examined, and most needed change. The computer system was 21-years-old and has been replaced; workers are being re-trained, and the updated costs of supplies and labor had to be built into the budget. Harrison had not raised rates for the six years prior to 2009, and this increase is due to the resulting deficit."

Even with the increase, Harrison has reason to applaud its water rates relative to others in the area. Basically, it could be worse.

Walsh  pointed out that, even with the new increase, Harrison's water rates remain well below those currently charged by the United Water Company in New Rochelle, Port Chester and Rye.