The City of New Rochelle, together with other municipalities in the region, is fighting a proposed increase in water rates. Our water service is provided by a private company called United Water, which is owned by the multi-national entity Suez. Under State law, rate changes must be approved by the State Public Service Commission (PSC.) In August the PSC held a public hearing in New Rochelle to review United Water’s request for a whopping 127% increase in rates and to receive testimony. Our municipal consortium submitted extensive documentation supporting our claim that the proposed rate increase is excessive and also addressing the related issue of fees charged to municipalities and passed on to taxpayers for the use of fire hydrants. I spoke personally at the public hearing and at a press conference on the same day.
You can read my remarks from the press conference and public hearing here. You can read a press release with more information here. We expect this matter to be resolved by the PSC before the end of this year.