Pioneer water approves rate increase

 

In anticipation of their project to build a treatment plant, the policymakers for Pioneer Rural Water District have approved a rate increase. The one dollar, 30-cent increase on the base rate for a customer’s bill will go into effect in 60 days and is estimated to generate $350 thousand in additional revenue for the water supplier serving parts of southern Oconee and northern Anderson counties. The rate increase was approved yesterday during the same meeting that the Pioneer board of directors received the latest timeline for the plant construction project. The revised project budget amounts to $17.5 million. On Pioneer’s behalf, the Design South engineer/planning firm has submitted an application for a loan of $16.5 million from the USDA’s Rural Development Department.