Previous Story
New water rates now permanent
|
Posted on Nov 21 2005
The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has adopted as permanent the regulations setting a new rate schedule for water service.
The water rates have been in effect since July 2005, after CUC adopted the regulations on an emergency basis. Emergency regulations become effective immediately upon the approval of the Attorney General’s Office and concurrence of the governor. But they remain effective for a maximum of 120 days only.
CUC now adopts the rate schedule permanently and without modification.
Before the regulations were adopted, all customers were charged a flat rate of $11.10 for water service per month.
But the new regulations set different rate schedules for residential and commercial customers who receive metered or non-metered water service.
Rates for metered service start at $1 per 1,000 gallons, for the first 3,000 gallons of consumed water. The next 3,001 to 15,000 gallons will be assessed at $2.40 per 1,000 gallons.
A charge of $3 per 1,000 gallons will be collected for the next 15,001 to 30,000 gallons; while the subsequent 30,001 to 60,000 gallons will be charged $3.50 per 1,000 gallons.
Consumption exceeding 60,000 gallons will be charged $4 per 1,000 gallons.
Meanwhile, customers who do not receive metered water will be assessed only half as much as their metered counterparts.
Non-metered residential customers are deemed to consume 6,000 gallons per month and, therefore, will be assessed a flat rate of $7.20 per month. This represents a reduction from the current flat rate of $11.10 for water.
For their part, non-metered commercial customers are deemed to consume 18,000 gallons per month. They will be charged a flat monthly rate of $27, a slight increase from the current commercial rate of $26.40.
CUC’s emergency regulation also provide a monthly service charge for meters. The charges vary depending on meter size and range from $6 a month for a 5/8-inch meter, to $200 for a 12-inch meter. (Agnes E. Donato)
