The City of Raleigh plans to switch to tiered water rates and monthly utility billing effective July 5, 2010 rather than the original date of Dec. 1.

City voted to delay the tiered rates because it "needs more time to test its new customer care and billing system ... in order to make sure water and sewer customers experience a smooth transition to the changes." In place of the tiered water rates, the City voted five to three to tentatively approve an amended water and sewer rate structure.

The 13.5 percent rate increase is expected produce the same amount of revenue the tiered rates were projected to raise through next July. The council will take a final vote on the amended water and sewer rate structure at its Nov. 3 meeting.

The City of Raleigh has about 175,000 metered water and sewer connections service 435,000 customers in the Capital City and the towns of Garner, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon.

All of the City's water and sewer customers will transition to a monthly billing cycle on July 5. Also on that date, residential customers in Raleigh and Garner will change to a tiered rate billing structure to promote water conservation.