By Miles Layton

WINFALL — Residents and business owners in Winfall will see higher sewer utility bills beginning Aug. 1, as part of rate adjustments adopted in the town’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget.

This town has been making headlines for lowering taxes by double digits, but utility rates are on the rise — as they are most everywhere.

Town officials said the increases are needed to address rising operational costs, sewer treatment expenses, ongoing maintenance and long-term infrastructure improvements.

Under the new rate schedule, the monthly base rate for in-town residential sewer service will rise from $47.50 to $50. Garbage collection will remain unchanged at $15 per can.

Non-residential customers will see steeper increases. The monthly base rate for small non-residential business sewer accounts will jump from $47.50 to $150, while large non-residential business accounts will see their base rate rise from $47.50 to $350. The town said non-residential accounts will be classified based on the adopted rate schedule, account type, water and sewer usage, and the nature of the business or facility served, and that classifications may be reviewed periodically to ensure accounts are billed under the appropriate category.

Usage rates are also increasing across all tiers. For the first 5,000 gallons used monthly, the rate will rise from $10 to $11 per 1,000 gallons. For usage between 5,001 and 20,000 gallons, the rate will increase from $16 to $17.36 per 1,000 gallons. The steepest change comes for usage above 20,000 gallons, where the rate will double, from $16 to $32 per 1,000 gallons.

Commissioner Ron Smirlock said several factors drove the increase, starting with the cost of maintaining the town’s pumping stations.

“We are experiencing increased repair and maintenance expenses for our pumping stations,” Smirlock said. “This is primarily due to inflationary pressures and current labor shortages, which have driven up the cost of retaining qualified maintenance personnel. Additionally, several pieces of equipment are nearing the end of their useful life and must be replaced.”

Winfall does not treat its own sewage. Instead, the town sends wastewater to neighboring Hertford, an arrangement that has been in place since Winfall’s sewer system was installed roughly three decades ago, Smirlock said.

“The Town of Hertford processes our sewage, an arrangement that has been in place since Winfall installed its system approximately 30 years ago,” Smirlock said. “This year, Hertford raised our wastewater treatment rates by 7%, a cost we unfortunately had to pass along to our sewer customers.”

The budget also introduced new base rate classifications for larger customers, a change Smirlock said reflects the strain those accounts place on town infrastructure.

“We instituted new base rate classes in our fee schedule this year,” Smirlock said. “We determined that large institutions place a disproportionate demand on our sewer infrastructure, and we adjusted their base rates to appropriately reflect that impact.”

Smirlock, who serves as the town’s budget officer, said he tried to avoid raising rates altogether while drafting the sewer budget.

“As the budget officer, I made every effort to eliminate the need for a rate increase while working on the sewer budget,” he said. “However, given the factors outlined above, the increase was unavoidable.”

Smirlock noted that while the town’s general fund and sewer fund are managed separately, commissioners also cut property taxes this budget cycle.

“While the town’s general fund and sewer fund operate as separate entities, we were able to lower property taxes by 24% during this budget cycle,” Smirlock said. “Because of this, it is important to note that our residents will actually see an overall net decrease in the total cost of town services.”

Town officials acknowledged the impact the increases could have on residents and businesses.

“The Town understands that any rate adjustment can be difficult, and we appreciate the continued support and understanding of our residents and business owners as we work to maintain a dependable sewer system for the community,” the notice stated.

Residents and business owners with questions about the new rates are encouraged to contact Town Hall during normal business hours.

I’ll say it — rising water-related infrastructure costs to cope with aging pipes and such are happening everywhere, from the mountains of West Virginia to coastal Carolina. Rather than rhetoric or costly wars, we need a Marshall Plan to restore this aging infrastructure.

Story’s photo shows the bridge over the Perquimans River between Hertford and Winfall.

If you have news tips about Winfall or anywhere else in Northeast NC, send me an email at mileslayton1969@gmail.com

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