NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) May 14, 2001 –- Standard&Poor's today assigned its triple-'A' rating to Charlotte, N.C.'s $144.385 million water and sewer revenue bonds series 2001 due June 1, 2026. The bonds are scheduled to sell May 23, 2001. The outlook is stable. In addition, Standard&Poor's raised its rating on the city's outstanding water and sewer system bonds to triple-'A' from double-'A'-plus. The rating upgrade reflects continued strong growth in the service area and the system's ability to keep pace with significant new development, as well as: -- Very strong financial performance and the expectation of continued coverage of revenue bonds in excess of 2.5 times (x); -- High liquidity; -- Affordable, competitive rates;
