GRANITEVILLE, S.C. - The people of Graniteville and Vaucluse don't have to pay their July water bills for now.

Judge Jack Early ruled Monday that their water company did not give customers proper notice of an up to 700 percent rate increase.

“I was about to put a check in the mail to pay my water bill,” Iris Taylor said.

For now Taylor, who lives in Graniteville, can keep her money. Judge Jack Early granted a temporary injunction for the people living in Graniteville who recently saw an increase in their water and sewer rates.

The injunction says Avondale Mills can't: collect payment on the bills with a due date of August 15, terminate water and sewer service for not paying pending bills, impose late fees or other penalties on pending bills, implement new rates and charges for service until proper notice is given.

"The legal notice that has led to this injunction being issued that type of notice has not occurred," said Representative Tom Young, SC House, Dist. 81.

Young says until that proper notice is given by the Public Service Commission people won't have to pay the new rate even in future months.

“There is an argument to be made for the August bill that Avondale Mills can't charge for the August bills,” Young said.

But Young says he doesn't want that and instead has a compromise that he feels could end this debate.

“Our position has been, start charging the new rate on August 1, don't charge these folks from June 26 up to August 1 when they didn't have notice of it,” Young said.

Young also adds that the injunction is only preliminary and could be reversed in the future.

“If we lose this action then the people will have to pay the July bill,” Young said.

Taylor thinks that just might be the case.

“Eventually we'll probably have to pay it anyway somewhere down the line,” she said.

NBC Augusta 26 News talked to Charlie Terreni who is a member of the public service commission about issuing a public notice. He says right now the commission is reviewing the judge's order and has not decided if it will send a new notice.

They believe adequate notice was given before including the notice sent to customers in their July bills.

NBC Augusta 26 News brings you straight to the point news, weather, and sports from Augusta and the CSRA. Meet our NBC Augusta 26 News staff!