Press Release

PUC Approves Consolidated Rate Filing for Lock Haven Water

Published on 3/27/2025

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

Reduces the Annual Revenue Increase Request and Encourages Conservation with Water Customers Outside the City

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved overall lower than requested rate changes for water service proposed by the City of Lock Haven Water Department (Lock Haven), for water customers located outside the City of Lock Haven.

The Commission voted 5-0 to adopt the Recommended Decision of Administrative Law Judge John Coogan, who recommended PUC approval of a Joint Petition for Complete Settlement, with two modifications, that permits an annual revenue increase of $210,000 for water service outside of the city of Lock Haven – an approximately 44% reduction from the company’s proposed $377,823 annual revenue increase in its original request, filed on May 24, 2024.  

Under the settlement, Lock Haven will implement rate structure changes moving various customer classes closer to their cost of service while creating ‘price signals’ that encourage water conservation.  The settlement also establishes a PENNVEST Surcharge (PVS) enabling the company to timely recover charges associated with low-interest loans from PENNVEST.  The PVS will offset any decreases or increases in quarterly bills among the company’s residential, commercial and industrial, and public health customers.  Lock Haven is to provide customers with a notice whenever it proposes to increase the PVS outside of a general rate increase filing.

Lock Haven, which did not seek a rate of return in this proceeding, agrees additionally not to file a rate increase any sooner than 12 months from the effective date of rates in this proceeding.  The company will now file tariff supplements with the approved rate changes, effective upon at least one day’s notice after entry of a final Commission Order.  Lock Haven’s current base rates have been in effect since Jan. 1, 2011.

The Joint Petition for Complete Settlement adopted today was entered into by Lock Haven, 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 water service provided by Lock Haven to customers who reside outside of the city’s corporate boundaries, including 1,076 customers in Allison, Castanea and Wayne townships in Clinton 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 X (formerly 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.:  R-2024-3049248

Contact:

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