Aldermen Consider Rate for Punkin Water Customers
The city of Oxford’s ongoing plans to take over the Punkin Water Association (PWA) advanced significantly on Tuesday when the Oxford Board of Aldermen listened to an initial ordinance reading outlining the rates for their forthcoming scustomers.
“This is only for the current Punkin customers,” stated Mark Levy, the city of Oxford’s special projects director, further elaborating that no rate change was proposed for existing Oxford Utilities customers.
Recalling, the board made a decision early in 2022 to take over the system to provide water for PWA customers, who’ve regularly aired grievances about subpar water quality.
Proposed Rates
Once the switchover to Oxford Utilities takes place, previous PWA customers will be eligible for a minimum monthly rate of $9.74 for consuming up to 2,000 gallons of water. Thereafter, they’d be subjected to a rate of $4.87 per thousand gallons used, aligning with the rate that any Oxford Utilities customer residing outside city limits currently pays. Added to this, PWA customers would face a monthly surcharge of $12.25.
A public hearing to deliberate on the proposed rates and ordinance change will occur at 5 p.m. on March 19 at City Hall.
Project Timeline
The scheduled transfer of the water source and franchise from PWA to Oxford is forecasted for early summer. Once accomplished, PWA will commence the process of dissolving the corporation. Following this transition, the existing wells will be deactivated, and all equipment apart from the large tank will be decommissioned. Simultaneously new electronic read-only meters have been introduced to the system.
The pipeline works needed to connect Oxford with PWA are projected to finish this month. Additionally, the construction of a pumping station is anticipated to be completed in May.
Accommodating the new Punkin customers into the Oxford Utilities’ customer base presents a pivotal step towards restoring reliable water services to the deeply affected community – a decision that promises to resolve longstanding water quality issues. The board’s decisive action, spurred by public appeal, is a testament of city officials’ dedication to improving public utilities and serving the unmet needs of their communities.
