Expect to pay more for water and sewer service, as the Harrisburg area’s water authority plans significant rate increases for 2017.
Capital Region Water proposes to raise 2017 drinking water rates to $8.80 per 1,000 gallons, compared to $7.88 this year, an increase of 11.6 percent. Sewer rates will increase to $6.53 per 1,000 gallons versus $6.05 in 2016, a hike of 7.9 percent.
The monthly “Ready to Serve” water charge also will increase, up to $6.95 from $6.22 this year for most customers.
For a typical residential customer consuming 4,500 gallons per month, these changes will result in an increase of $7.07 per month, according to CRW.
“Our board of directors does not take rate setting lightly, but the water systems that our families, local economy and environment depend on every day were long ignored,” CRW CEO Shannon Williams said in a statement.
The 2017 budget includes a $12 million investment in the drinking water system and a $31 million investment in the combined wastewater and stormwater systems, with many of the projects driven by compliance with regulations, according to CRW. This work includes renewal and replacement of Harrisburg’s aging buried pipes and treatment facilities.
“After years of deferred maintenance and lack of investment in our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, we continue to make long overdue improvements to our aging infrastructure to prevent the even higher costs of failure,” said Williams. “Public health and safety is our highest priority and governs the decisions we make.”
Draft rates, rate comparisons and information about capital projects can be found online at https://capitalregionwater.com/investor-kit.
The CRW board of directors will vote on 2017 budgets and rates on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 5:30 p.m. on the first floor of 212 Locust St., Harrisburg. Customers can ask questions and offer comments then and also can contact CRW with comments and questions by phone at 888-510-0606 and email at info@capitalregionwater.com
Author: Lawrance Binda
