Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

04/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/15/2024 07:44

PUC Reminds Consumers of Public Input Hearings for Water and Wastewater Rate Increase Sought by Veolia Water Pennsylvania

PUC Reminds Consumers of Public Input Hearings for Water and Wastewater Rate Increase Sought by Veolia Water Pennsylvania

Published on 4/15/2024

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

In-Person Hearings in Bloomsburg and Harrisburg Along with Ability to Participate Via Telephone Provide Opportunities to Gather Input from Customers and Other Concerned Parties

HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today reminded consumers and other concerned parties about upcoming in-person and telephonic hearings to gather public input on the rate increase request filed by Veolia Water Pennsylvania to increase annual revenue by $15.5 million (26.4%) for water services and $569,000 (34.8%) for wastewater services.

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

PUC Public Input Hearings

An in-person public input hearing has been scheduled for the following:

  • Monday, April 29, 2024 - Bloomsburg, Columbia County
    The hearing will begin at 6 p.m.
    Central Susquehanna Opportunities Building
    160 W. 6th St.
    Bloomsburg, PA 18715

A pair of combined in-person and telephonic input hearings have been scheduled for the following:

  • Tuesday, April 30, 2024 - Harrisburg, Dauphin County
    Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
    Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
    Commonwealth Keystone Building (State Capitol Complex)
    PUC Hearing Room #1
    400 North St.
    Harrisburg, PA 17120

PUC Administrative Law Judge Emily DeVoe will preside over the public input hearings.

Participating in the Public Input Hearings

If you wish to testify at the in-person public input hearings in Bloomsburg or Harrisburg, no pre-registration is required. There will be sign-up sheets at all the in-person hearings.

If you wish to testify by telephone at either of the hearings on April 30 you are strongly encouraged to pre-register with the PUC Office of Administrative Law Judge to ensure you are identified as a witness and the judge will be able to call you to testify during the hearings.

To pre-register, contact the judge's legal assistant, Mary Swarner, by phone at 412-565-3555 or by email at [email protected] and provide the following:

  • Your first and last name.
  • The time of the public input hearing at which you wish to testify (1 p.m. or 6 p.m.).
  • The phone number you will be using to call into the hearing.
  • Your address.
  • Your email address (if you have one).
  • Whether you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, and if so the language of the interpreter.
  • Whether you consent to have your testimony included as part of the live stream of the hearings.

Watching or Listening to the Hearings

All three in-person input hearings are open to the public. Additionally, the PUC will be live streaming the two Harrisburg public input hearings on the PUC website: https://www.puc.pa.gov/live-streaming/

To participate in the telephonic hearings, use the following information to access the conference bridge:

  • Dial the toll-free Conference number - 888-547-8922.
  • Enter the PIN number when instructed - 74903461.
  • Speak your name when prompted, and press #.
  • The telephone system will then connect you to the hearing.

Hearing Exhibits

If you have any hearing exhibits to which you will refer during the hearing, please email them to the judge at [email protected]. She will forward your exhibits to all the parties. Exhibits for the public input hearings on April 29 and 30 must be received by the judge by Friday, April 26, 2024.

Requests for Interpreters

If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, please pre-register as soon as possible. Every reasonable effort will be made to have an interpreter present. If you register too close to the hearing date, there may not be enough time to arrange for an interpreter.

Offering Testimony at a Public Input Hearing

The PUC offers tips on how to participate in a public input hearing, including:

  • Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read.
  • Any formal testimony that is offered during the hearing will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.
  • Understand that parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.

Veolia Rate Increase Request

Under the proposals filed with the PUC by Veolia, the average monthly bill for a residential water customer using 3,500 gallons of water per month would increase from $49.64 to $60.79 (22%). For Veolia wastewater customers, the average monthly bill for a residential customer would increase from a flat rate of $56.20 to $77.00 (37%).

A final decision by the PUC on the rate increase requests is due by November 16, 2024.

About the PUC

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.

Visit the PUC's website at www.puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. Search for the "Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission" or "PA PUC" on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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

Contact: