CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A proposed rate increase from West Virginia American Water is now up for discussion by the West Virginia Public Service Commission.
A series of public hearings ended last month and now the state PSC will conduct an evidentiary hearing this week regarding whether to approve the requested 19.7 percent rate hike.
WVAWC says if the increase is approved the average monthly water bill would go up from the current $39 to $47. The increase would begin in October and extend to 171,000 WVAWC customers.
The state PSC held five public hearings across the state during the month of June to get feedback from customers regarding the change.
The company says the rate hike will help them recover some of the costs from approximately $85 million worth of repairs made to its system during the past three years.
If the PSC approves the latest request, WVAWC rates will have increased nearly 50 percent over the past five years.
The hearing will run through Friday in Charleston.