RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District (PRVWSD) Board of Directors approved a rate increase for its water and sewer customers. The rate increase will be in effect for the December billing cycle.

During a board meeting in September, PRVWSD General Manger John Sigman said the rate increase was necessary to offset the higher costs the state agency is continuing to pay its regional sewer providers and for increased costs for treatment and upkeep and maintenance of infrastructure.

The PRVWSD supplies its residents with water from its own wells, but all sewage is sent to be processed by regional providers.

“All three regional sewer providers that we rely on to process sewage for our customers have either raised their rates or they are in the process of raising their rates, which unfortunately affects us. We have to ensure we have adequate funds to pay those providers, and we also want to ensure we make plans to have enough funding to account for depreciation of our assets,” said Sigman.

The increase will be through the line-item Regional Sewer Charge (RSC). The RSC will increase from $4.25 per 1,000 gallons of water used to $4.75.

A customer who uses 5,000 gallons of water per month currently pays $77.25 per month for water and sewer. Beginning with the December billing cycle, that same customer would receive a bill for $79.75.

Sigman said that there will be no increase in the volumetric charges this year.