Aiken City Council gave its first nod on Feb. 23 to rules that spell out how the city will gather and use impact fees on new connections to the sewer system. These fees answer a sharp price jump from 48 cents per gallon to $10.89 per gallon that the Aiken County Council put in place September 2024.
Current homeowners won’t pay more. Neither will existing property owners nor businesses already running. These charges hit only new construction that needs planning approval.
City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh explained the rules to council members, detailing how staff will figure out sewer impact fees when new construction starts, old buildings get rebuilt, or wastewater use changes. Applicants pay the fees, which then go to the Aiken County Public Service Authority. The PSA treats wastewater at Horse Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, sitting between North Augusta and Beech Island…