Got my water bill yesterday.

19.2% rate hike went into effect 01/01.

United Water asks state for $9.75-per-month rate increase

By Ron Zeitlinger/The Jersey Journal
December 09, 2009, 2:36PM

The typical United Water bill would increase by nearly $10 a month if the company's rate increase request is approved.
Most Hudson County United Water customers will be paying about $10 more per month if the company's request for a rate increase is approved by the state Board of Public Utilities.

Citing nearly $81 million invested in improvements to the water system that serves Bergen, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Passaic and Sussex counties, United Water today filed for the hike that would increase the typical customer's bill by $9.75 a month. The current average residential bill is $38 per month.

The rate increase would affect homeowners in Secaucus, North Bergen, Guttenberg, Union City, West New York and Weehawken who are billed directly by company. United Water also serves Hoboken and Jersey City, but those cities would not be affected since they have contracts.

Spokesman Rich Henning said that United Water has invested in North Hudson over the past year by refurbishing water mains under the streets, putting a pipe inside the main to improve water quality.

He said there will be public hearings in the spring on the proposed rate hike, and a decision by the BPU would likely come sometime around August. The BPU can accept, modify or reject the proposal in whole or in part.

"In these difficult times when a utility raises rates for its services, customers and elected officials are certainly entitled to an explanation," Jim Glozzy, United Water vice president and general manager, said in a statement. "We are filing this application because of the investments we have made to improve water quality and help maintain reliable service for our customers."

The most notable project is the $32 million in capital improvements to the Haworth Water Treatment Plant. The major component of the project is the addition of new chlorine contact basins.

"This change will result in better-tasting water because we will be able to use less chlorine to disinfect the water," said Glozzy. "In addition, there will be fewer disinfection by-products and that will have a positive impact on the environment."