Press Release

PUC Approves Lower Than Requested Rate Increase Proposed by City of Lancaster – Bureau of Water

Published on 5/12/2022

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

Adopts Settlement with Annual Revenue Increase of Nearly $2.5 Million for Outside City Water Service Rendered On and After June 29

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a lower than requested rate increase for water service proposed by the City of Lancaster – Bureau of Water (Lancaster), for customers located outside the City of Lancaster.

The Commission voted 3-0 to adopt the Recommended Decision of Administrative Law Judge Darlene Heep, which recommended PUC approval of a Joint Petition for Complete Settlement permitting a rate increase of approximately $2.5 million (13%) for outside city water service rendered on and after June 29, 2022.  Lancaster’s original request, filed on Sept. 30, 2021, had sought an annual revenue increase of $4,024,593 (21%). 

Under the joint settlement, the quarterly bill of a typical residential customer using 13,600 gallons of water per quarter will increase from $77.70 to $89.08 (14.6%) rather than from $77.70 to $94.14 (21.2%) originally proposed by the City of Lancaster.  The settlement also requires Lancaster to engage in additional maintenance activities and reporting.

The Joint Petition for Complete Settlement adopted today was entered into among Lancaster, the PUC’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, Pennsylvania’s Office of Consumer Advocate and the state’s Office of Small Business Advocate

The PUC has jurisdiction over Lancaster water service provided to 31,280 customers located outside the City of Lancaster – including customers in portions of Millersville Borough and East Hempfield, East Lampeter, Lancaster, Manheim, Manor, Pequea, West Hempfield and West Lampeter Townships, Lancaster County.

The Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at www.puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Docket Nos.:  R-2021-3026682 and C-2021-3029095

Contact:

• David Hixson
  Deputy Press Secretary
  717-772-2766
  dhixson@pa.gov