Some Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority (NCSWA) users will have lower rates starting July 1.

According to a press release from the NCSWA, the rate change is in response to the economic times, and addresses a major concern voiced by its senior and fixed-income customers throughout the years.

The NCSWA’s “minimum bill” will be phased out in favor of a base charge. That means that customers will be charged for every thousand gallons consumed.

Another clarification of the rate structure is the implementation of a base charge, which all members will pay based on their meter size.

“While no one is fond of price increases, we must continue our mission of protecting public health by delivering safe and reliable drinking water at a competitive rate, improving public safety with more accessible fire protection and protecting community waterways and streams through efficient wastewater treatment,” NCWSA Director Mike Hopkins said. “To reduce the financial impact on NCWSA customers, we are continuing a policy of making modest rate adjustments each fiscal year as compared to larger “one-time” adjustments that would have a greater impact to the majority of the authority’s customers.”