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Public Service Commission of WV approves West Virginia American Water rate hike request - WCHS

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Public Service Commission of WV approves West Virginia American Water rate hike request

The Public Service Commission has approved a request for adjusted water rates and a separate request for a water and wastewater surcharge for West Virginia American Water customers. (WCHS TV)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — West Virginia American Water customers will now have to pay more for their water and wastewater service.

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia approved adjusted rates following the company's May 2023 request for a rate adjustment.

The increased rates will provide an additional $18.4 million in revenue, which the company said is needed to help pay for over $220 million in completed infrastructure investments made since 2020.

The company said those investments include upgrades to water mains, treatment plants, tanks, valves and booster stations to improve water quality, service reliability and fire protection.

The PSC also approved a $5.9 million order which includes a water and wastewater surcharge. The company said the surcharge will help fund system-wide upgrades they plan to make in 2024.

Residential water customers will see an average increase of $8 a month and wastewater customers will see an average increase of $12 a month.

The new base rates went into effect on February 25, 2024. The surcharge went into effect on March 1, 2024.

Related Knowledge Center: Climate economics

State of Play

Climate change is now a driver of the world’s economy. The impact is profound:

  • Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
  • Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
  • Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
  • Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. 

On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”

More informationabout Climate economics