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HUTTONSVILLE -- The Town of Huttonsville has announce a water rate increase of almost 40% for all of its customers.
According to a legal advertisement by the Town of Huttonsville, on April 8, the city government adopted by ordinance a tariff that would increase rates, tolls and charges for all Huttonsville Water Department customers.
The increase will affect the average monthly water bill of residential, commercial, industrial and government customers equally, with an across the board increase of 39.7%, or $15.43 per month. According to the legal advertisement, this increase should produce approximately $16,000 of additional revenue annually for the town, an increase of 40%.
The rate change will go into effect on June 1, "unless otherwise ordered by the Public Service Commission (PSC)," according to the legal advertisement,
"The increases shown are based on averages of all customers in the indicated class," the legal advertisement reads. "Individual customers may receive increases that are greater or less than average. Furthermore, the requested rates and charges are only a proposal and are subject to change (increases or decreases) by the Public Service Commission in its review of this filing."
According to the document, the PSC will review and approve or modify the increased rates if they receive the filing of a petition within 30 days of the adoption of the ordinance, by:
Any customer aggrieved by the changed rates or charges who presents to the Commission a petition signed by not less than twenty-five percent of the customers served by such municipally operated public utility.
Any customer who is served by a municipally operated public utility and who resides outside the corporate limits and who is affected by the change in said rates or charges and who presents to the Commission a petition alleging discrimination between customers within and without the municipal boundaries. Said petition shall be accompanied by evidence of discrimination.
Any customer or group of customers who are affected by said change in rates who reside within the municipal boundaries and who present a petition to the Commission alleging discrimination between said customer or group of customers and other customers of the municipal utility. Said petition shall be accompanied by evidence of discrimination.
All petitions should be addressed to the Executive Secretary, Public Service Commission of West Virginia, 201 Brooks Street, P. 0. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323.
According to the legal advertisement, a complete copy of the proposed rates, as well as a Huttonsville Water Department representative who can provide any information required, is available, by appointment, to all customers, prospective customers or their agents at the Town of Huttonsville Community Building Monday through Friday.
A copy of the proposed rates is available for public inspection at the office of the Executive Secretary of the Public Service Commission at 201 Brooks Street in Charleston.
For more information, contact the Town of Huttonsville Community Building at 304-642-3492.