Region's Utility Bills Expected to Rise

January 15, 2008 - 10:29am

WASHINGTON - It looks as though your utility bills may be going up as much as 50 percent if you live in Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

As WTOP has previously reported, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission customers be charged a $20 a month "infrastructure renewal fee" to speed the replacement of 10,800 miles of underground water and sewer pipes.

Now, the WSSC and the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority are out with their rate proposals.

For District customers, the proposed 8 percent increase would add about $12 a quarter to the average water and sewer bills. Once government fees are tacked on, the average residential bill would go up about $4.24 per month.

In Montgomery and Prince George's counties, the proposed 9.5 percent increase in July would be on top of the $20 a month fee, raising quarterly bills for customers from $150 to $225.

Postponed maintenance worsened problems in the suburbs. WSSC saw a record number of breaks -- 2,129 -- in the past year.

WSSC General Manager Andrew Brunhart tells WTOP the reliability of the water services to homes and businesses is going to be jeopardized if the maintenance is not done.

Brunhart says 1,300 miles of water mains have reached the end of their life.

WSSC provides water to 1.7 million people. Of its 5,200 miles of water pipe, 224 miles are more than 75 years old. Another 1,075 are 51 to 75 years old; 1,957 miles are 30 to 50 years old; 450 miles are 25 to 30 years old; and 1,894 miles are under 20 years old.

In D.C., the increases would help pay for needed capital improvements at the wastewater treatment plant and to an overhaul of the aging sewer system. Both are needed to reduce sewage runoff and improve the quality of the water in the Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Millions of gallons of raw sewage end up in the Anacostia every year.

WASA will hold community hearings on its increase before voting on it. Officials say higher rates are possible in 2009 and 2010.

WSSC holds public hearings Feb. 6 in Largo and Feb. 7 in Rockville before voting on the hikes. WSSC's 10-year plan calls for increases that range from 4.9 percent to 11.5 percent, depending on the year.