Press Release

PUC Reopens Public Comment Period on Proposed Regulations to Enhance Water Utility Service in Pennsylvania

Published on 7/13/2023

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

Proposal Focuses on Preserving Water Resources, Limiting Leaks, Reducing Overall Company Risk and Enhancing Customer Service

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today moved to reopen the public comment period for its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR), which is intended to address water loss more comprehensively in public utility water systems across the Commonwealth.

The Commission voted 5-0 today to reopen public comments for a 30-day period after today’s order is published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

The proposed PUC rulemaking would allow implementation of the Water Audit Methodology developed by the International Water Association and American Water Works Association (AWWA software), as a best management practice regarding water loss control in Pennsylvania – replacing a more than decade-old PUC policy statement that addressed water conservation and “unaccounted-for-water.” After study, the Commission determined that rather than revising the 2012 policy statement, the issue would best be addressed with new regulations. 

Two rounds of public comments regarding this proposed rulemaking were received and reviewed between September 2020 and December 2022 – including points raised by Pennsylvania’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) which touched on new issues that require further input and consideration.  Specifically, IRRC requested additional information from the regulated community about the costs required to comply with the proposed regulation as well as additional information from the PUC to clarify certain provisions of the proposed regulation to determine if they are reasonable and in the public interest. 

To gather additional input on the proposed regulations the PUC requested that commenters consider a series of specific questions – detailed in the PUC order adopted today – and include suggested regulatory language as part of their responses.

Today’s order will be served on all jurisdictional water public utilities, the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate and Office of Small Business Advocate; the PUC’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement; the National Association of Water Companies – Pennsylvania Chapter; the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; the Delaware River Basin Commission and Susquehanna River Basin Commission; the American Water Works Association – Pennsylvania Chapter, and all entities that filed comments or reply comments to the PUC’s original Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Notice of the reopening of a public comment period will also be provided to the state legislative committees overseeing the PUC along with IRRC and the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Interested parties may file written comments during this reopened public comment period, per the notice that will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, during the 30-day public comment period that will follow the publication. Comments filed during that period will be forwarded by the PUC to the legislative committees and IRRC.

Comments may be filed electronically through the PUC’s eFiling system, in which case no paper copy needs to be filed with the Secretary of the Public Utility Commission provided that the filing is less than 250 pages – though certain items, such as confidential or proprietary material, cannot be eFiled.  

If you do not eFile, then you are required to mail, preferable by overnight delivery, one original filing, signed and dated, with the Public Utility Commission’s Secretary at:

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

Commonwealth Keystone Building 2nd Floor

400 North Street

Harrisburg, PA 17120

Comments must reference Docket No. L-2020-3021932 and all pages of filed comments and reply comments, except for a cover letter, must be numbered.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania 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 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 No.: L-2020-3021932

Contact:

• Denise McCracken
  Senior Communications Specialist
  717-787-5722
  demccracken@pa.gov