Expect a big increase in the size of your next water bill.
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission has approved the South Milwaukee Water Utility’s requested rate increase, meaning the average property owner’s bill will go up 56 percent effective Oct. 1.
November bills will reflect the increase for one month.
Click here to see the full PSC decision. From it:
The Commission appreciates and is sensitive to the customers’ concerns in this matter. However, the Commission finds that the revenue resulting from the authorized rates is necessary to provide for the financial needs of the utility over the long-term. …
These rates are reasonable and just. All customers will be required to pay an appropriate amount for the service provided.
Just how much will you pay? Obviously, it depends on usage, but average residential customers will pay $97.75 every four months with the increase, up from $62.82 currently (or the aforementioned 56 percent).
Increases for larger commercial, industrial and public users will run in the mid-60 percent range.
Check out a complete rate chart in Appendix D of the PSC decision.
While the increase is unfortunate — I have said before that I wish the pain of such a large increase could have been spread over a series of years vs. levied all at once — I was happy to see that residents made their voices known in the debate. According the PSC, 17 individuals submitted written comments to the commission, and 39 water customers appeared at the public hearing earlier this month.
“Most expressed concern with the level of rate increase in this bad economic environment,” according to the decision.
I share that same concern … while at the same time accepting the increase as necessary given the recent $9.4 million in plant upgrades, declining industrial and residential usage and other factors. I don’t love it. But I will live with it.
What do you think? Post your comments below … and cast your vote in my new poll on the right-hand side of this page.
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