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Pinellas utility raising its rates

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By PETER BERNARD

pbernard@wfla.com

Published: October 1, 2009

Starting today, customers who get their water from Pinellas County Utilities will pay more.
Pinellas County commissioners gave the OK this week for the utility to raise rates 8 percent for water, 3.5 percent for sewer service and 11 percent for those who have reclaimed water.

Utilities director Tom Crandall blames most of the increase on rate hikes from its supplier, Tampa Bay Water. However, some of the boost is due to the poor economy, housing vacancies and lower water usage, he said.

Plus, the reclaimed water system is costly to implement.

"We have to recoup the cost that we put into the capital for that reclaimed system," Crandall said. "As we recoup that and as time goes by, we will be able to even out those numbers."

The rate increase amounts to $2.29 more per month for the average customer in unincorporated Pinellas, Pinellas Park, Clearwater, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar and Tarpon Springs.

Those customers will also see sewer rates go up by $1.13, and reclaimed water customers will pay about $1 a month more.

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