Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

10/10/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/10/2024 10:58

PUC Approves Settlement for Substantially Smaller Rate Changes by Veolia Water Pennsylvania

PUC Approves Settlement for Substantially Smaller Rate Changes by Veolia Water Pennsylvania

Published on 10/10/2024

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

Settlement Includes Scaled-Back Water and Wastewater Rate Changes and Enhanced Consumer and Public Safety Services

HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a joint settlement that includes substantially smaller changes in water and wastewater rates for customers of Veolia Water Pennsylvania (Veolia), along with a series of enhancements to consumer and public safety services.

The Commission voted 5-0 to adopt the Recommended Decision of PUC Administrative Law Judge Emily I. DeVoe and approve the joint settlement, which is supported by the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate, the Office of Small Business Advocate, the Coalition for Affordable Utility Services and Energy Efficiency in Pennsylvania (CAUSE-PA), the PUC's independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, and Veolia Water Pennsylvania.

The rate changes included in the settlement are intended to produce $10.9 million in additional annual water revenues - which is a 30% reduction from Veolia's initial request - and $420,000 in additional annual wastewater revenues - which is 26% smaller than what the company was seeking.

The settlement also includes larger reductions in the overall rate changes for several smaller rate divisions in the Veolia system, including Bethel, Overbrook, Kensington and Mahoning. Veola had initially sought to more than double water rates in most of those areas, but the settlement includes nearly 50% to 86% reductions in the rate changes sought by Veolia.

Additionally, the settlement includes a series of enhancements to consumer and public safety services:

  • Add a fourth tier to Veolia's low-income Customer Assistance Program (CAP) and arrearage management program to assist customers with incomes at or below 200% of federal poverty income guidelines.
  • Analysis of low-income data for Veolia's wastewater districts and creation of a report on the need and feasibility of extending the CAP program to wastewater customers.
  • Establishment of a plumbing and leak repair program, including installation of water conservation kits.
  • More complete logging and tracking of customer complaints.
  • A complete review and hydraulic modeling of fire hydrants in the Veolia system, clear marking for fire hydrants that do not meet minimum flow criteria, and collaboration with local fire protection agencies to identify public safety solutions.

The rate changes addressed in the settlement will become effective as of November 1, 2024, following the filing of water and wastewater tariff supplements by Veolia.

Veolia serves 69,800 water customers along with 1,600 wastewater customers in 11 counties across Pennsylvania.

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The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

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Docket Nos.:
R-2024-3045192
R-2024-3045193

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