Bracing for Philly’s 17.6% water rate increase? Here’s how to be heard in the online public meetings.
The city is encouraging the public to share its thoughts about the water rate hike, which would add $11.72 a month to a residential water and sewer bill.
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Philadelphia is conducting four online public hearings this week about a proposed water rate increase, which would boost a typical customer bill by 17.6%, or $11.72 a month, over two years partly to pay for pandemic-related costs.
The Philadelphia Water Department proposed the increase last month, blaming a decline in revenue and collections last year because of COVID-19. The city also postponed a rate increase it planned last year because of the pandemic, forcing cutbacks.
The five-member Water, Sewer, and Storm Water Rate Board, which was created by a 2012 Home Rule Charter change, is expected to make a decision on the rate proposal by June 16.
Under the proposal, a typical residential bill for a customer using 500 cubic feet of water a month (3,740 gallons) would increase $7.74 a month to $74.47, or 11.6%, on Sept. 1. Bills would increase an additional $3.98 to $78.45 on Sept. 1, 2022, or 5.3%.
Over two years, average bills would increase from $66.73 to $78.45, or 17.6%.
About 154,000 of the city’s 496,000 water accounts had fallen behind on payments by the end of September, according to data the Water Department submitted to the Water Rate Board. Collection rates appear to be 10% lower than the historical average, the city said.
The city last year imposed a moratorium on service shutoffs during the pandemic and restored service to about 15,000 customers who were previously shut off. The city this month extended the moratorium on terminations until April, 2022.
The Water Rate Board has scheduled two online hearings at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday and two more at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday to hear public testimony about the proposed increase. Participants can listen in by telephone or join through Zoom Meeting.
Instructions for signing in to the hearings, as well as the rate filing documentation, are available on the water rate board’s website: phila.gov/departments/water-sewer-storm-water-rate-board.
Witnesses can sign up to testify by emailing WaterRateBoard@phila.gov or by leaving a message at 215-685-6135. You will need to indicate which hearing you plan to attend. The public can also submit written testimony to WaterRateBoard@phila.gov.