PUC reminds residents of water rate hike hearings

The nearest location for Mon Valley residents is in Washington, Pa.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission reminded customers about upcoming hearings to gather public input on the proposed rate changes by the Pennsylvania American Water Company for water and wastewater service.

PA American issued a request for an additional $168.7 million in annual revenue, an overall jump of about 14.6%. The hearings come after PUC voted 5-0 to suspend and investigate the proposed changes on Dec. 4, 2025.

According to PUC, the rate hike could affect 682,000 water customers and 97,000 wastewater customers in 37 counties. A final PUC decision on the rate increase request is due by Aug. 13.

An administrative law judge will review evidence, hear public testimony and issue recommended decisions before commissioners vote. Regulators could approve the full increase, scale it back or reject it entirely.

Mon Valley communities served by PA American Water are California, Brownsville, Carroll Township, Clairton, Monongahela, Dravosburg, Elizabeth Borough and Township, Forward Township, Glassport, Liberty, New Eagle, West Elizabeth, McKeesport, Port Vue, White Oak, West Mifflin, Charleroi, Monongahela, and Perryopolis.

According to PUC, if the plan were approved as previously proposed, residential water customers using 3,263 gallons a month could see an increase ranging from $2.73 per month to $27.77 per month, depending on their service area. A wastewater customer using 3,164 gallons a month could see an increase ranging from $0 per month to $26.29 per month, also depending on their service area.

PUC added that customers with combined stormwater and wastewater systems could have seen an increase of approximately $20 per month.

PUC is planning 12 in-person and telephone- based hearings this month. For Mon Valley residents, the closest in-person hearings will be Jan. 13 in Washington, Pa., at the Crossroads Center, located in meeting room G-16 on 95 West Beau St.

The first hearing at the Washington location will begin at 1 p.m. and the second hearing will be on the same day at 6 p.m.

Two telephone-input hearings will take place at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Jan. 21. Residents who want to participate are encouraged to pre-register by 4 p.m. Jan. 19.

To pre-register, residents can email the PUC judges’ legal assistant, Sumathi Jayakumar Raj, at sumjayakum@pa.gov or call the judges’ office phone at 717-787-4972 and provide the following information:

• First and last name.

• The hearing for which a resident is registering.

• The phone number they will be using to call into the public input hearing.

• A phone number where they can be reached before the hearing, if needed.

• Email address if available. The toll-free conference number for the hearings is 866-675-4281, and when prompted, a resident must provide 85057514 as the required pin. Those who need interpreters should pre-register as soon as possible and let the organizers know that they need one. Those who have questions or need help with pre-registration can call 800-684-6560 or email consumer@paoca.org.

Residents can also submit written comments to: Secretary’s Bureau, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, 400 North St., Harrisburg, PA 17120.