JAMES CITY COUNTY – The James City Service Authority is proposing a $29.4 million budget for fiscal year 2027 that includes increases to water and sewer rates, which would raise the average residential bill by about $4.56 per month.
During an April 14 Board of Supervisors meeting, JCSA General Manager Doug Powell outlined the budget, emphasizing that the authority operates independently and relies entirely on customer fees rather than tax revenue.
“JCSA is the water and wastewater collection provider for James City County,” Powell said. “We are solely reliant on the fees and charges that are paid by our customers. We do not receive any funding from the property tax or the county in general.”
The proposed budget marks the first year of a two-year financial plan and is based on a newly adopted five-year strategic plan focused on infrastructure, system capacity, and customer service.
The largest impact for residents would come from rate increases. The fixed monthly charge for most residential water customers, those with a 5/8-inch meter, would increase from $9.02 to $10.52. In addition, the lowest-tier water usage rate would rise from $4.45 to $4.72 per 1,000 gallons.
Sewer rates would also increase, with the fixed charge rising from $4.51 to $6.00, while the volumetric sewer rate would remain unchanged.
Combined, those changes would increase the average single-family bill, based on 5,000 gallons of monthly use, by $4.56.
“For the average single-family bill … the bill would go up $4.56 for FY27,” said Powell.
He said the increases are part of a long-term plan to spread costs evenly over several years while maintaining infrastructure and services.
The budget also includes funding for major capital projects and system improvements. Among them is a $7.5 million project to replace aging water mains in the Kingspoint area, where frequent breaks have occurred, as well as ongoing upgrades to pump stations and sewer infrastructure.
In addition, the authority plans to continue investing in technology that would allow customers to monitor water usage in real time.
“When fully completed, customers will have the ability to monitor their usage on a real-time basis,” Powell said, adding that the system could also encourage water conservation.
Personnel costs make up the largest portion of the budget, accounting for about 40% of total expenses. The plan also includes pay adjustments for employees, including a proposed 2.7% cost-of-living increase and additional step raises.
Despite the rate increases, officials noted that JCSA’s rates would remain among the lowest in the region.
“If the proposed rate increases are adopted, we would remain the third lowest in the region,” Powell said.
The proposed budget will continue through the public hearing process before final adoption.
