Graham Plans Water Rate Hike for Unincorporated Areas

The City of Graham is considering raising water rates by 7 percent, a change that would impact customers in unincorporated parts of Young County, City Manager Eric Garretty told county commissioners during their July 28 meeting.

Garretty said the proposed increase is necessary to keep up with rising costs of providing water and maintaining the city’s water treatment plant.

“The cost to provide water just continues to increase,” Garretty said. “Recapitalization, keeping the water treatment plant running—like everything else these days, those costs just continue to go up. That’s the primary reason for the 7 percent increase.”

The Graham City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed rate hike during its meeting Thursday, where Garretty will present a detailed breakdown of the plan and accept public comment.

Garretty noted that Graham supplies water to a large portion of unincorporated Young County through agreements with the Belnap Water Supply Corporation and pass-through contracts with Bryson, Rockford, and Newcastle.

“We provide water in one form or another to a large area of the county,” Garretty said. “The cost for us just to make and provide the water keeps rising, and this increase is aimed at covering those expenses.”

If approved, the new rates would apply to both city residents and county customers served through the city’s water system.