
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, December 10, 1994                   TAG: 9412120052
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

RESIDENTIAL RATE INCREASES, BUSINESS CUTS PROPOSED

Bedford County's Public Service Authority proposed this week to raise sewer and water hookup fees for residences and at the same time to lower them for some businesses, county agencies and service industries.

The proposed fee increase, which would take place March 1, would raise the one-time fee for houses to hook up to the county water system from $1,500 to $1,750. Sewer hookups would increase from $1,500 to $2,000.

Hookup fees for mobile homes would increase from $1,125 to $1,312 for water and from $1,125 to $1,500 for sewer.

The authority also proposed raising bimonthly sewer rates from $3 per 1,000 gallons to $3.25 per 1,000 gallons. Water rates would stay the same.

Responding to a request from the county Board of Supervisors, the authority also proposed lowering commercial hookup fees to provide an incentive for businesses to move to Bedford County.

Among the changes: Factories would pay more than 40 percent less to hook up - down from $131 per worker to $87 per worker; and motel connections would cost about 50 percent less - down from $488 per unit to $248. Other agencies, such as schools, hospitals and nursing homes, also stand to see a decrease in hookup fees.

A public hearing about the proposed changes will be held Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors meeting room at the County Administration Building. The authority will vote on the proposal after the hearing.

by CNB