Fairfax County Supervisor Linda Smyth proposed at Tuesday’s county board meeting that the county’s Consumer Protection Department review the City of Falls Church’s plan to increase its water rates in June

Fairfax County Supervisor Linda Smyth proposed at Tuesday’s county board meeting that the county’s Consumer Protection Department review the City of Falls Church’s plan to increase its water rates in June. The Falls Church water system serves over 100,000 users in Fairfax County. According to Smyth’s office, the proposal was aimed at determining whether the fee increase are consistent with, or in violation of, the order by the Fairfax Circuit Court last year restraining Falls Church from taking an annual return on investment from its system. The study will be undertaken, Smyth’s office said, but a time line has not yet been set and the is no word when results may come back. Because of two official protests to Falls Church’s intentions by the Fairfax Water Authority, the Falls Church City Council has postponed action on the matter until June 27. Falls Church contends that it is considering the rate hike simply passing on a number of increased costs of operating the system to its users.