Aqua PA files for rate hike

Filing is utility’s first since 2011

BRYN MAWR » Rates for customers of Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. could be going up. The utility filed an application Friday with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for approval of a $71.8 million increase in water and wastewater rates for its customers. It is the company’s first rate request since 2011.

Under the proposed rate increase, a water bill for a typical residential customer using 4,080 gallons per month would go up $9.22 from $59.85 to $69.07 — or 15.4 percent, according to the company.

A typical commercial customer with a 5/8 inch meter using 37,800 gallons a month would see their bill increase from $380 per month to $440 per month — or about 13.6 percent.

Aqua Pennsylvania said the primary reason for the request is to recover $2.2 billion the company has invested in infrastructure, including upgrades to its distribution and treatment systems to improve drinking water quality and service reliability throughout its water and wastewater operations.

“We have replaced more than 800 miles of aging water main, as well as valves, service lines and more than 19,000 fire hydrants throughout our approximately 5,800-mile distribution system,” Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca said in a press release.

Included in the $2.2 billion investment, according to Aqua Pennsylvania spokeswoman Stacey Hajdak, is the upgrade and rehabilitation of treatment plants, pumping stations, water storage tanks and wells, including the installation of equipment to further ensure sustained disinfection throughout the distribution system as required by Pennsylvania’s new, more stringent environmental requirements.

Wastewater operations improvements have included collection system replacement and renewal, treatment plant rehabilitation, upgrades to electrical systems and the purchase and installation of generators.

“All of this work is to help en-

Under the proposed rate increase, a water bill for a typical residential customer using 4,080 gallons per month would go up $9.22 from $59.85 to $69.07 — or 15.4 percent, according to the company.

sure our customers and communities have reliable water and wastewater service,” Lucca added. “Because we’re conscious of family and commercial budgets, we’ve been able to minimize increases in expenses since the last rate request in 2011 to an annual average of less than one percent per year.”

The company’s rate request represents a revenue increase of 16.13 percent over current rates, beginning Oct. 16, 2018, according to a company spokeswoman.

However, the Public Utility Commission can suspend such requests for up to nine months for investigation and analysis of the proposal, which would move the effective date to May 2019. Following its review, the agency may approve all, none, or a portion of the request.

Aqua Pennsylvania has approximately 450,000 water and wastewater customers throughout Pennsylvania, serving approximately 1.4 million people in 32 counties. Across the region, the company has:

• 1,797 water customers in Berks County;

• 70,413 water and 3,336 wastewater customers in Chester County;

• 149,379 water and 6,770 wastewater customers in Delaware County;

• 107,335 water and 233 wastewater customers in Montgomery County.

In July, Aqua Pennsylvania completed its purchase of the Limerick Township wastewater treatment plant for $75.1 million.

For more information about Aqua Pennsylvania visit www.aquaamerica. com/our-states/ pennsylvania.aspx. For more information about Aqua America visit www. aquaamerica.com.