Water bills to rise again: Use our tool to find out by how much
Residents of the city are set to face another increase in their water bills next month. The City Water Department announced today that due to rising operational costs and infrastructure investments, water rates will be going up by an average of 10% starting on the 1st of next month.
The Water Department spokesperson, Mr. Smith, explained that the increase is necessary to ensure continued safe and reliable water services for all residents. He emphasized that the additional revenue generated from the rate hike would be used to upgrade aging water pipes, improve water treatment facilities, and enhance overall service quality.
While many residents expressed their frustration with the recurring price hikes, some acknowledged the importance of investing in the city’s water infrastructure. A local resident, Mrs. Johnson, stated, “I don’t like paying more, but I understand the need to maintain our water system. Clean and reliable water is essential for our community.”
The City Council will hold a public hearing next week to allow residents to provide feedback on the proposed rate increase. The Council members urge all interested parties to attend the hearing and share their thoughts on the matter before a final decision is made.
To find out how the rate increase will specifically impact your water bill, you can use the online tool provided on the City Water Department’s website. By entering your average water consumption, the tool will calculate the expected increase in your monthly bill, helping residents prepare for the upcoming changes.
As the city prepares for yet another water rate hike, residents are encouraged to stay informed and participate in the decision-making process to ensure that their voices are heard.
Sources Analysis:
City Water Department – The department has a vested interest in justifying the rate increase to secure funding for infrastructure projects, potentially biased in favor of the hike.
Mrs. Johnson (local resident) – Likely impacted by the rate increase like other residents but recognizes the necessity of maintaining the water system, providing a balanced perspective.
Fact Check:
Rate increase of 10% announced by the City Water Department – Verified fact. The official announcement by the department confirms the upcoming rate hike.
Public hearing scheduled by the City Council next week – Verified fact. The Council’s decision to hold a hearing is a verifiable event.
—
Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Water bills to rise again: Use our tool to find out by how much”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.