Aug. 25--Customers of Avondale Water and Sewer have again been handed a short-term delay in the implementation of increased rates.

On Monday, Circuit Court Judge Doyet A. "Jack" Early signed an order implementing a temporary injunction on the recently increased water rates, stating that they could cause "irreparable harm" and that Avondale did not properly notify its customers of the increase in advance. Added to the good news for customers is that an agreement seems close to take the system off Avondale's hands.

"This court is keenly aware of the socioeconomic conditions in Graniteville and Vaucluse both by judicial notice, personal observation and from the plaintiff's submissions to the court," Early wrote. "An increase of up to 700 percent in the water and sewer bills would be difficult for most citizens of South Carolina to pay at any time, in particular where the customers did not have notice ... and where many residents as here ... are elderly, on fixed incomes and/or unemployed."

The order did not discuss the fairness of the rates or the amount of the increase but dealt with the way in which the new rates were implemented.

The Public Service Commission, who approves rates, has scheduled a hearing on Oct. 6 to review the rates which they had previously approved.

Now, Avondale must give 10 days' notice of the change, meaning that the July bills are null and would be charged at the previous month's rates. However, after the notice period, the original, 700 percent increased rates go into effect.

Sen. Shane Massey said Monday that he was pleased with the judge's decision. Massey, along with Reps. Tom Young and Roland Smith, has been working with the water system customers since the bills arrived. Massey and Young represented the customers in this lawsuit.

The long-term hope for the system by officials and residents alike is for it to be taken over by another local entity and have stimulus funds and other monies used to upgrade the system.

The Valley Public Service Authority (VPS) has been considering taking over the system and has said publicly they will if it can work financially.

Avondale spokesman Steven Felker Jr. said they would appeal the ruling, an appeal which would go to the South Carolina Supreme Court. He also revealed that an agreement between Avondale and VPS is close; however, a transfer of the system could take many months to complete.

Contact Mike Gellatly at mgellatly@aikenstandard.com.

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