Press Release

PUC to Investigate Aqua Pennsylvania Rate Increase Request

Published on 1/10/2008

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

HARRISBURG –The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today voted to investigate request by Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. to increase rates.

By order of law, the proposed increase will be suspended for up to seven months. The Commission voted 4-0 to open an investigation and assign the request to a PUC administrative law judge for a recommended decision or settlement. PUC Commissioners will then make a final decision by Aug. 21, 2008, at a public meeting in Harrisburg.

The company is requesting an increase of $41.7 million (13.6 percent).

Under the company’s proposal the annual bill for an average residential customer using 55,200 gallons of water would increase about:

• $69 from $494 to $563 (13.9 percent) in the Main, Hawley, Laurel Lakes, Shenango, White Rock, Susquehanna and Pine Beach divisions;
• $93 from $301 to $394 (30.8 percent) in the Applewood Division;
• $99 from $290 to $389 (34 percent) in the Bensalem Division;
• $95 from $423 to $518 (22.5 percent) in the Bristol Division;
• $35 from $312 to $347 in the first year and another $58 to $405 in the second year (a total of 29.6 percent) in the Chalfont Division;
• $52 from $511 to $563 (10.1 percent) in the Chinchilla, Oak Hill and Moscow Division;
• $111 from $429 to $540 (26.1 percent) in the Hop Bottom, Sunset Hills, Warden Place, Floral Estates and Oneida divisions;
• $93 from $301 to $394 (30.8 percent) in the Marienville Division;
• $108 from $432 to $540 (25.2 percent) in the Midway Manor Collective;
• $68 from $488 to $555 (13.8 percent) in the Paupack Division;
• $90 from $450 to $540 (20.1 percent) in the Pennsview Division;
• $116 from $345 to $461 (33.6 percent) in the Stanton and Wapwallopen Division;
• $108 from $265 to $372 (40.4 percent) in the Masthope Division;
• $78 from $390 to $468 (20 percent) in the Pinecrest Division; and
• $42 from $429 to $471 (9.8 percent) in the Rivercrest Division.

Under the company’s proposal, the annual bill for an average residential consumer using 58,200 gallons of water would increase:

• $123, from $576 to $453 (27.2 percent) in the Eagle Rock Division;
• $66, from $576 to $510 (12.9 percent) in the Fawn Lake Woodledge Village, Western, Thornhurst and Tanglewood divisions;
• $4, from $467 to $472 in the first year and another $28 to $501 in the second year (a total of 7.1 percent) in the White Haven Division; and
• $123, from $576 to $453 (27.2 percent) in the Eagle Rock Division.

Under the company’s proposal, the annual bill for an average residential consumer using 51,600 gallons of water would increase:

• $115 from $330 to $445 (34.9 percent) in the Garbush Division;
• $18 from $209 to $227 (8.4 percent) in the Country Club Gardens Division;
• $47 from $474 to $521 (9.9 percent) in the Hedgerow Division; and
• $120 from $241 to $361 (49.9 percent) in the Oakland Beach Division.

The average annual bill for customers in the Roaring Creek Division using 55,200 gallons of water would decrease about $2, from $532 to $530 (.3 percent).

The change in rates will affect all 403,235 customers in some way. Aqua serves customers in Adams, Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Delaware, Forest, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Lehigh, Luzerne, Mercer, Montgomery, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Snyder, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

According to the company, the increase is the result of its investment of $253.6 million to improve water quality, serve and reliability for its customers since the last rate increase in 2006.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities to ensure safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protect the public interest; educate consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; further economic development; and foster new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

For recent news releases, audio of select Commission proceedings or more information about the PUC, visit our Web site at www.puc.state.pa.us.

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Docket No. R-00072711

Contact:

• Press Secretary
  717-787-5722