Firefighters work to contain a brush fire along 17th Street near the Cameron Art Museum Monday April 16, 2012. Staff Photo by Mike Spencer
As it turns out, all of us did.
The water used for putting out the recent brush fire came from the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority. The CFPUA did not charge the fire department or the city for the water – that’s because those costs are factored in to each household bill.
The CFPUA bill includes two charges: a fixed rate which doesn’t change and a variable rate based on how much water is used by each household.
The fixed rate, according to CFPUA chief communications officer Carey Disney Ricks, ensures that each area of the city has adequate “fire flow” – I.E. water flow and pressure in case of a fire. Because the last thing you want when your house is burning is for the fire hose to run out of water.
Ricks said the CFPUA and Fire department work closely in fire situations to ensure there is adequate water flow.
Date posted: May 18, 2012
User-contributed question by:
D Bowen
Looks like county residents are pitching in for city services after all.
To clarify the first sentence of the answer, it wouldn’t be all of us, it would be all of CFPUA’s customers. Not everyone reading this article or the WSN (online or paper) are paying that cost. Not everyone in New Hanover County is a CFPUA customer.
Wait, wait , hold the fire ” who’s paying for the water? Not my house let it burn? Please think before you ask !!!
If you want to ask a ? Try why is CFPU talking raises when they have to raise rates because of a clerical era and short fall in revenue . Not who pays for the water to save someone’s home!