PWSA files for 60% rate increases over next 3 years

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority filed for a proposed rate increase Tuesday that could raise water rates by nearly 60% for more than 300,000 customers in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.

PWSA said the proposed rate increases would pay for mandated infrastructure improvements, as well as bring water and sewer infrastructure up to environmental requirements. It additionally cited higher operating costs caused by inflation.

The rate increases, if approved, would jump about 20% each year for the next three years, which would total a 57% increase by 2026. A typical residential customer using 3,000 gallons a month would see payment increases of $86.43 to $103.41 a month in 2024, $103.41 to $123.55 in 2025, and then $123.55 to $146.12 in 2026, according to PWSA.

PWSA filed for the increase with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The state agency votes on the proposals and typically conducts hearings and investigations before the PUC commissioners weigh in. PWSA officials said the review process could take up to nine months.

“As a publicly owned and operated water utility, every dollar we receive from customers is invested into the water systems we rely on each day,” PWSA CEO Will Pickering said in a statement. “We never lose sight that this is your water and we’re dedicated to investing your rate dollars responsibly.”

The water agency said it has improved large sections of the city’s aging sewage and water system over the years after an extended period of underinvestment. PWSA said it recently removed the 10,000th lead service line and is on track to remove all lead pipes from its system by 2026.

The PUC doesn’t always approve rate hikes at the requested percentages. In 2019, PWSA sought a 16.7% rate increase, but was only approved at 14%. The last rate increase, approved in 2022, was 33% lower than PWSA had requested.

More information can be found at PWSA’s website.