The Wisconsin Public Service Commission will hold a public hearing on the South Milwaukee Water Utility’s proposed 53 percent rate increase on Sept. 9 at the South Milwaukee Public Library. The hearing starts at 10 a.m.
Here is the complete meeting notice, and here is a document comparing current water rates with those proposed as part of the increase.
The Water Utility announced its proposed rate increase in May. Check out my blog posting from then, including a link to a document providing some background and perspective on the proposed change.
Indeed, while the proposed increase is significant, perspective is good here: Keep in mind that the average residential user’s bill, if the proposed increase remains intact, would grow from $59.18 to $91.85 per trimester, according to the meeting notice. That’s $8.16 more per month or $98.01 more per year. (And it’s actually a 55.2 percent increase for the average payer.)
From the hearing notice:
The increase is necessary because of an 83% increase in gross plant investment, and a 42% increase in operating expenses since our 2004 rate increase application. The plant investment is our new state of the art ultra-filtration pressurized membrane system.
Declines in industrial and residential usage are another major driver of the proposed increase … and a number of other proposed increases from around the area. Here is a story from the Journal Sentinel on Saturday showing that South Milwaukee residents are not alone in facing large water rate increases.
From the story:
Water rates would rise by an average of 27% in Milwaukee, while changes for suburban residents would range from a 13% cut in Butler to a 47% jump in Mequon, under a recent recommendation from the state Public Service Commission staff.
For the average residential customer in the city, water bills would increase 30%, from $204 to $266 a year. In addition to Mequon, the biggest increases would be 39% for New Berlin and 53% for the County Grounds in Wauwatosa.
For those who can not make the South Milwaukee public hearing in person, you can submit comments in writing to the PSC. Do so here.
South Milwaukee Blog 
Rate hikes like these make me wonder why do I live in Wisconsin? All my family has left for Arizona. I am the last one here.
My spam filter is blocking the document with the meeting notice – is this a Word file? if so, could it be converted to a .pdf?
Rocket Mom: I converted to a PDF, and reuploaded it.
Rocket Mom, word pad should work for the document. It also states that the increase is actually 55%. This is what we get for conserving water. I love how all the public officials defend this.
Melanie: Yeah, I was confused on the 53 vs. 55 percent thing, too. So my post references both numbers. Either way, it’s significant, and I’m not necessarily defending it — just trying to explain the rationale behind it.
Pingback: Reminder: Water Rate Increase Hearing on Thursday « South Milwaukee's 4th District
I posted my concerns with the PSC and interestingly enough I received a “press statement” from the water utility office why the rate increase is justified….