Aqua Ohio customers will pay more for water and sewer service.
State regulators this past week approved a 5.7% increase in water rates, or an average of $3.55 per month for a customer that uses an average of 4,000 gallons a month, according to the company. New rates will appear on customers' next water bill.
For sewer and water customers, rates will go up 7.5%, or an average of $8.30 per month for customers who use 4,000 gallons of water a month.
With the increase, the typical water bill for a customer using 4,000 gallons of months will go to $65.48 per month and the average bill for water and sewer service to $119.74.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio noted that the increase was less than what the company had sought while supporting the utility's obligation to provide safe drinking water and sanitary sewer systems to its customers
“Assuring safe drinking water and sewer systems is a crucial aspect of Aqua’s responsibility to their customers,” agency chair Jenifer French said in a statement.
Aqua says the increases are necessary to finance its operations and maintain its water and sewer systems.
As part of a settlement with regulators, shareholders of Aqua's owner, Essential Utilities, will increase the amount of money going to its customer assistance program, called Aqua Aid, to $25,000 from $20,000 annually.
The money is available for Aqua Ohio customers at or below 175% of the federal poverty level.
The company has 18,000 water customers in Marion County and serves the city of Marion along with several townships and villages. It has no sewer customers in the county.
In Franklin County, Aqua serves five subdivisions — Blacklick Estates, Huber Ridge, Lake Darby, Timberbrook and Worthington Hills.
The company provides water service to all five subdivisions and sewer service to Blacklick Estates, Huber Ridge and Lake Darby.
Essential Utilities is based in suburban Philadelphia. Essential provides water, sewer and natural gas service in nine states.
mawilliams@dispatch.com
@BizMarkWilliams
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: State regulators increase water, sewer rates for Aqua Ohio customers