The 'A' Standard&Poor's underlying rating (SPUR) on Atlanta, Ga.'s outstanding water and wastewater revenue bonds reflects: The passage of rate increases needed to meet increased debt service costs, leading to improved but still thin debt service coverage; The voter approval of a half-cent municipal option sales tax (MOST) dedicated to water and sewer capital improvements has offset rate increases needed to meet the requirements of the consent decree-driven capital plan; A significant $3.2 billion capital plan to address sanitary system overflow (SSO) and combined sewer overflow (CSO) violations; and Adequate financial operations, debt service coverage, and liquidity position. Other factors include: A citywide effort leading to tightened management and financial controls of system operations; A service economy that
