Financial & Rate Structure
The system is self-supporting deriving all of its revenues from its monthly utility fees, one-time payments for connection, availabilities, pro rata infrastructure charges, and miscellaneous other fees and interest income. The county has the power to establish and revise water and wastewater rates and adopts an annual budget and capital improvements program. Financing of capital improvements is provided by system earnings and issuance of revenue bonds.

Billing & Collection Procedures
Customers receive a monthly bill for services, which is due within 25 days of the bill date. Meters are read monthly and are only estimated if the meter is inaccessible or cannot be read due to inclement weather.

A 10% penalty will be added to the bill if it is not paid within the 25 days from the billing date, at which time the bill is delinquent. If the account remains unpaid 40 days from the billing date, the service may be terminated. There is a $30 reconnection fee to reestablish service and an additional fee of $25 if service is reconnected after hours. The county utilizes the Virginia Set-Off Debt Collection Program and the issuance of warrants in debt as collection means.

Future Projects
The county is currently upgrading both of its wastewater treatment facilities to comply with more stringent nitrogen discharge limits for facilities that discharge to the Chesapeake Bay. The upgrade of the Little Falls Run facility is an $11.5 million project and the upgrade of the Aquia facility is a $25 million project.

Although some grant funding has been received through the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), these projects have been primarily funded through the use of low-interest loans obtained from the Virginia Resources Authority (VRA).

Rocky Pen Run Reservoir and Treatment Facility
Another large project currently underway is the construction of Rocky Pen Run Reservoir and Water Treatment Facility. Rocky Pen Run will be a third water source for the county and will provide an additional safe yield of 12 million gallons per day (mgd), which is almost double the safe yield capacity of the system as it exists today.