Water Rate Hike Hearing

Both the Express-Times (read it here) and the Morning Call (read it here) have stories reporting on the Water Rate Hike held at the Nazareth VFW last night.

The Express reported:

Thursday's hearing, which drew about 40 people, including state regulatory officials, was the sixth of 12 around Pennsylvania, Meehan said. The state's largest water utility, Pennsylvania American has about 630,000 customers in 35 counties.

The company's last rate hike occurred in January 2004 for $38.4 million. It had sought $65 million.

The Call reported:

Those who live in Nazareth and Palmer Township will be some of the hardest hit, with hikes set at roughly 30 percent and 92 percent, respectively, water company attorney Thomas P. Gadsen said.

Company-wide, the average customer would have a 15 percent increase.