Tybee Island residents will see increase on water/sewer bills

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Next month, residents on Tybee Island might notice an increase on their water/sewer bills.

The city put in a four percent rate increase this month.

Every year, over the past few years, Tybee Island City Manager Shawn Gillen said they’ve increased the rate in small increments so that they can stay on top of necessary maintenance of things like water pipes and lines.

Gillen said what peoples’ bills will look like next month is dependent on their usage. Some people might notice an increase while others may not.

Every year, Gillen said the city spends nearly $3 million just to keep the existing water and sewer lines up to par. In the case of an emergency, like we saw in July when a manhole collapsed, Gillen said it’s imperative that the city is ready to pay for the repairs.

Just under a year ago, the city implemented a new water rate structure and Gillen said this latest rate increase goes right along with it.

“We’re being very aggressive in our water and sewer infrastructure replacement program. In our CIP (capital investment plan) and our five-year plan we’re spending about $2 million to $2.5 million a year in water and sewer main replacement. That is more than we’ve ever done, so we’re looking at keeping up with the purchasing power of that over time,” Gillen said.

Gillen said residents should expect an increase like this next year as well. If anyone has any questions about their bill when they get it next month, he said they can give the city a call.

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