ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, October 5, 1996              TAG: 9610070034
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN 

PUBLIC PULSE

Upcoming:

The Montgomery County Public Service Authority will have a public hearing on changing water and sewer rates at 7 p.m. Monday on the third floor of the Montgomery County Courthouse in downtown Christiansburg.

The authority, which serves rural areas outside Blacksburg and Christiansburg, wants to make water and sewer rates uniform for business and residential customers. Currently there are separate schedules for business and residential customers and for water and sewer service. The proposal sets the same rates for water and sewer.

The proposed changes would mean a residential customer being billed for 5,000 gallons of sewer service would see his bill increase from $22 a month to $25.75, a 17 percent increase. A water bill for 5,000 gallons would stay the same. The rate change is one way the cash-strapped authority hopes to raise more money for operations.

Gerald Mabry, utilities engineer for the authority, estimates the proposed rate changes could help the authority bring in an additional $150,000 to $170,000 a year.

If the proposed rate schedule is adopted, it would take effect Nov. 4.

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