Aqua Pennsylvania customers outraged after learning about possible rate hike

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- Aqua Pennsylvania customers said Friday they are angry after learning last month of a possible rate increase on water and wastewater services.

"I thought, not again," said Gail Wellington, who's from Limerick Township. "Please, not again."

That's what Wellington thought when she got a letter in May from Aqua Pennsylvania when the utility company notified customers of a possible rate increase.

According to Aqua Pennsylvania's website, a typical residential customer using 3,870 gallons of water a month is currently paying $80.91 a month. Aqua planned to start charging $97.01 a month, which would be an increase of nearly 20%. Wellington, who is 84 years old and receives modest social security payments, said she does not know how she's going to pay her bills.

"Well OK, it's an extra $15 a month or $20 a month, or whatever it is. What can I give up?" she said. 

Wellington said her rates doubled just two years ago and she wants to know where the money is going.

"Am I getting anything extra for it? No, just a bigger bill," Wellington said. 

Aqua Pennsylvania sent a statement to CBS News Philadelphia pointing to infrastructure upgrades that started last April. The statement reads in part, "We must continue to modernize and upgrade our treatment plants, wells, pipelines and related infrastructure."

The statement continued saying that $953 million of upgrades are planned through the end of 2025.

"This includes the replacement of approximately 200 miles of aging water main, as well as associated valves and customer service lines throughout approximately 5,900 miles of distribution system."

Still, Wellington joined about a dozen of her neighbors, mostly seniors, Friday afternoon and met with Democratic Pennsylvania State Representative Joe Ciresi who said he is a customer too.

"It's just my wife and I, and we're paying these huge amounts," Cieresi said. "Our son lives in Philly now, so it's just the two of us in the house, and we're going to pay $92 a month just to use the shower, the sink and the toilet."

Limerick resident Pat Smith said he will have to tighten up his budget even more.

"When you're living on a fixed income, you only have so much to go around. And what happens is, you have to not do this, not do that," Smith said.

And, that is why Wellington wanted Aqua Pennsylvania to stop raising rates. Her message to company executives is simple.

"Listen to us, please. Listen to us and think about what you're doing to the seniors," Wellington said. 

The rate hike is now being reviewed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. That investigation could take up to nine months to complete. If approved, the increase could take effect by next February.

Ciresi encourages anyone affected by the proposed rate increase from Aqua to fill out a comment on a proposed rate increase form and send it to the PAPUC.

In:
• Utility bills
• Montgomery County