2023-11-03 02:00:34
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Public Service Commission (PSC) of West Virginia heard comments from the public Thursday night regarding two rate cases from West Virginia-American Water Company (WVAWC).
WVAWC filed for a $41.2 million increase in water rates with the PSC on May 1, while at the same time asked for a $471,000 increase, or a 24.9% increase. The water rate hike would bring an increase in annual net water revenue of 22.5%, effective February 25, 2024.
West Virginia American Water expects proposed monthly bill increases for the average residential customer using 3,000 gallons per month to be $18.95. For the average commercial customer using 16,000 gallons per month it would be $101.08 and $2,476.85 for the average industrial customer using 650,000 gallons a month.
According to WVAWC, the proposed rate hike is a reflection of investments in water and wastewater upgrades that have been made since 2020 and for upgrades projected through February 2025. Those investments total approximately $340 million.
The Commission received comments from members of the public both in-person at the PSC headquarters in Charleston and online. All who spoke before the PSC, the representatives from West Virginia American Water and the Kanawha County Commission, spoke out once morest the proposed rate hike.
Terry Burns said a rate hike would only make less people use water. He asks why this has to fall on the residents and not company shareholders.
“When you raise your rates, people aren’t going to use more water they’re going to use less water,” Burns said.
“How regarding we start charging them for all the water that they can’t account for,” he asked.
Barry Holstein said the sewer rates in Cross Lanes where he resides have been going up by around 50% over the past few yeas. He said the company is getting greedy and is asking for more than they want in a rate increase, hoping they might at least get half of what they’re proposing.
“Enough is enough,” he said. “We have to do something different.”
It’s getting to be so much for Florence Micciolo that she said she has started using the shower at the place she works out.
“I’m showering at the gym to save money instead of my own home,” Micciolo said.
Mary Sharp, an 89-year old widow, got emotional speaking at the meeting, saying she very much disagreed with the proposed rate increase. One of Sharp’s neighbor, Vicky Powell, said members in their area feel like they would be dramatically affected. Powell said she felt moved to come speak and mention her displeasure with the thought of water bills going up for her and her neighbors.
“They’re asking for a raise when I can’t get a raise and everything else is going up as far as basic commodities,” Powell said.
Morgan Hassig agreed that a rate hike would greatly affect older folks. He said West Virginia has the highest rate of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.
“They simply cannot afford these rate hikes and so when this happens, they are impacted and the children who have to rely on their grandparents to raise them are impacted as well,” said Hassig.
Constance Nelson backed up that claim. She said through her experiences with families and kids, this would be hard to overcome for some of them.
“This rate increase would literally take food out of children’s mouths,” Nelson said. “We are barely, many of us, keeping our heads above water, yet the water company wants to drown us now.”
Howard Swint told PSC chairwoman Charlotte Lane that these rate increases are due in part to water main breaks which he says are because WVAWC doesn’t abide by water pressure standards. Sydney Fleshman, 76, said her and her 81-year-old husband live in an area that has experienced a few breaks in the past two months.
An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for December 5 at 9:30 a.m. and might last till December 7.
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