CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) — The Clarksburg Water Board is proposing rate increases to continue funding a lead line replacement project in Clarksburg.
The Water Board will consider the rate hikes on first reading during its regular meeting Wednesday. At its May 8 meeting, a public hearing will be held prior to the second and final reading.
Both readings and the public hearing will be held at the Clarksburg Water Board’s main office building. The proposed rate increases would take effect July 1.
Resale and regular customers will be affected, according to Clarksburg Water Board officials.
“We decided as a whole to raise our rates slightly,” said Jason Myers, general manager of the Clarksburg Water Board. “For all of our resale customers, the rates are going up 4%, while our regular customers will be going up 9%.
“Some of our customers may ask why that is. Well it’s simple: why charge our resale customers for a lead service line project when they won’t benefit from it? So as a group, the Water Board decided to split the rate increase between both regular customers and resale customers.”
What spurred the rate increase is the cost of the Phase 3A lead waterline replacement project throughout different parts of Clarksburg, Myers said.
“So far we have $58 million wrapped up in this project,” he said. “However, we only actually owe around $27 million. The rest of our money for this project came from grant money.”
According to Myers, the Clarksburg Water Board has some of the lowest rates in the state compared to other water utilities.
“Our standard rate is $18 below what it should be,” he said. “According to the Public Service Commission, we should be charging $52.82 for 3,400 gallons of water. So whenever the rate increase takes effect, regular customers will be paying $33.91, while the resale customers will be paying $29.94 after the rate increase takes effect on July 1, 2024.”
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