Water, Wastewater Rates Rise
Phoenix residents who receive city water and wastewater services will see a slight rise in their bill this month. The average customer's monthly costs for water and wastewater services will increase$3.78 to $56.68. Phoenix’s water and wastewater rates remain among the lowest of comparable cities nationwide and in the Valley.
Phoenix continues to use your money wisely to rehabilitate and replace aging water and wastewater lines, improve treatment plants, enhance security, integrate new customer services technologies, and meet or surpass increased public health and environmental standards, as well as pay for unfunded federal mandates.
The fixed monthly service charge, which is based on customer’s meter size and which allows for a basic amount of water use and recovers the billing, collections and meter maintenance costs, will remain the same.
The new water rate applies to the volume of water used beyond the amount included in the fixed monthly service charge. The average increase is based upon a single-family residential customer using 11,344 gallons of water per month.
Under the new schedule, for the low usage months of December, January, February and March, the per unit (748 gallons) rate goes from $1.99 to $2.18; for the medium months of April, May, October and November, it goes from $2.44to $2.69; and for the high months of June, July, August and September, it goes from $3.16 to $3.51.
Also, the environmental charge, which relates to activities taken to enhance the environment by way of federal regulatory requirements, goes from 37 cents to 40 cents per unit.
The wastewater rate increase is reflected in the sewer and environmental charges that are applied to the average consumption for the period of January, February and March. The fixed monthly service charge of $1.22 will remain the same.
Phoenix has the third lowest combined water and wastewater single-family monthly bill as compared to 10 other southwest cities.
|
City |
Average Monthly Bill |
|
San Diego |
$109.80 |
|
Austin |
$100.48 |
|
San Jose |
$79.90 |
|
Kansas City |
$76.65 |
|
Dallas |
$75.54 |
|
Fort Worth |
$70.95 |
|
Oklahoma City |
$63.93 |
|
Tucson |
$58.37 |
|
Phoenix |
$56.68 |
|
Albuquerque |
$43.73 |
|
San Antonio |
$39.49 |
Posted at 10:46AM Mar 30, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Free Tax Aid Available
Working families and individuals who need help filing their federal income taxes and obtaining the Earned Income Tax Credit can get free assistance through a program offered by the city in cooperation with several partners and the Internal Revenue Service.
The special tax preparation assistance, which last year helped more than 5,000 families receive EITC payments of $7.39 million, is available at more than a dozen sites in the city.
Individuals who earned less than $13,440and married couples filing joint returns who earned less than $48,279 may be eligible for credits of $457 to $5,657. Some also might be entitled to additional credits, including those for child care expenses and education costs.
Call 602-263-8856 for more information about the location of the more than 13 sites and their schedule.
Posted at 10:46AM Mar 30, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Keep Your Kids Active! Sign Up for Youth Sports Now
The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department is now registering for outdoor youth sports programs at six city parks.
The programs – kickball, soccer and coach pitch baseball – are designed to introduce children ages 5 to 10 to the basics of the sport through equal participation in a noncompetitive environment.
The programs, which run from March 20 to April 24, are available at Desert West Park,67th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard; Mountain Vista, 50th Street and Ray Road; Encanto, 15thAvenue and Encanto Boulevard; Paradise Valley,40th Street and Bell Road; Paseo Highlands,35th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road; and Pierce, 46th Street and Oak Street.
Register online with any major credit card at phoenix.gov/parks.
For more information, call 602-262-5065.
Posted at 10:46AM Mar 30, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Homeowner's Responsible for Tree Maintenance
Did you know the city ordinance requires homeowners to maintain trees and shrubs on their property, including the right-of-way, which is typically the two-foot strip of land bordering the street and the alley behind the property?
As a courtesy to residents, the city has been providing assistance with tree maintenance in the right-of-way in some areas, including the pruning of palms and removal of fallen or dead materials.
However, recent budget cuts and staff reductions have led the city to refocus tree maintenance efforts on the areas that the city code makes the responsibility of city crews – main arterial streets, rather than residential areas.
Homeowners are required to maintain right-of-ways free of ordinance violations, including overgrown weeds, dead or dried bushes or trees and palm fronds within 10 feet of the ground.
To report a violation, send an e-mail to blight@phoenix.gov or call 602-262-7844.
For more information, visit phoenix.gov/FORESTRY or call 602-534-9440.
Posted at 10:46AM Mar 30, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
City Offers Seniors Reduced Taxi Fares
Concerned about the heavy demand for the city's Dial-A-Ride service, Phoenix Public Transit has initiated a pilot program that allows seniors to ride taxis at reduced rates.
Funded jointly by the city and the federal government, the Senior Cab voucher program is seen as alternative public transportation for persons 65 years and older.
About 400 seniors are being signed up to take part in the pilot program that is expected to last about 19 months, after which the city will decide if it should be made a permanent addition to its transportation offerings.
Senior Cab was developed at the request of the City Council, which asked the Transit Department to explore alternative modes of transporting seniors because Dial-A-Ride has increased demand for Americans with Disabilities Act-certified users, making it increasingly unavailable to seniors.
Participants each month can buy up to four$10-voucher books for $3 each, which is 30percent of their value. The vouchers can be used for an entire trip, combined with cash fares to travel further or banked over several months for a longer trip. Riders are responsible for their own gratuity.
For more information, call 602-801-1164 or 602-801-1163.
Posted at 10:45AM Mar 30, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
