Virginia town hosts public hearing on proposed 24% water rate increase

ROUND HILL, Va. — The town of Round Hill, Virginia, is raising water and wastewater rates by 24% beginning July 1. The Town Council is hosting a public meeting on Wednesday to discuss the rate increase. Residents can attend the meeting in person and virtually. 

Representatives say the decision to raise rates was not an easy one and it was only reached after extensive debate and study. The town says it has prided itself on having some of the lowest water rates in Loudoun County, but rising costs and uncertain inflation has made the increase necessary. 

"While the Town Council wishes they had perfect control over rates, the truth is that costs are often determined by forces beyond control,"  the town said in a letter to residents explaining the increase. "These forces can be ignored, which would allow the system to decay and funds to evaporate, or the Town Council can guarantee safe drinking water and effective treatment of wastewater by respecting their responsibility as stewards of this system."

Round Hill said the decision to increase water rates comes after many months of cutting both operating and project costs from the budget. 

According to 2019 Census data, Round Hill has a population of 656 residents. The town says its population is an additional source of concern.

"Just in the last five years Round Hill has missed out on over $5M in federal grants and state funding due to this mismatch between the Town's official and true population. That lost money could have been used to prevent this rate increase. If you live out-of-town and want to pay in-town rates, our door is open," town officials said.

The public hearing scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. Residents can access the hearing virtually via Zoom.