Huber Ridge Area

Dear Neighbors,

Our latest "breaking news" that will break us unless . . .

Go to Dispatch.com home page

Ohio American Water

Water-rate hike gets closer to a sure thing

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 3:09 AM

By Debbie Gebolys

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Water bills for some Franklin County residents are likely to jump by about a third or more later this year, making it the second consecutive year of double-digit rate increases.

Ohio American Water reached an agreement yesterday with the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel on proposed rate increases in Franklin County and nine other counties outside central Ohio, WBNS-TV (Channel 10) reported. Ohio American Water serves parts of Madison, Blendon, Sharon, Brown, Prairie, Perry and Norwich townships.

The publicly traded company said it needed the increase to pay for improvements it already had made to its water delivery and filtration system, according to the Web site of the consumers' counsel.

Residents loudly opposed the increase at public meetings last month. But the consumers' counsel office agreed it was necessary.

If the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approves the agreement in October, the average increase in a monthly water bill would vary from $10.42 to $39.07, and the average sewer bill's rise would vary from $13.29 to $49.39, the PUCO Web site shows.

In March 2007, the commission approved a 14.3 percent average increase in Ohio American Water rates in Franklin County and a 5.03 percent average increase in sewer rates.

dgebolys@dispatch.com

Copyright © 2008, The Columbus Dispatch

Thank you for the info Jim.  I will get my letters out today.

Blair staud

Blair and all others interested in helping our neighborhood,

You can also call Representative Jim McGregor, email him, or write.  I called his office September 11, 2008, and spoke to Katie.  She said he was aware of the problem, was in the process of setting up a meeting, and would call me back.

Please ask these important questions:

1.  What can he do to stop it and what will he do to stop it?

2.  How is it that OAW asked for a 26.22 percent increase for water, and a 36.80 percent increase for sewer, but the PUCO "Staff,"  the OCC - our "advocate," and other Parties say OAW "needs"  30.37 percent for water and 36.94 percent for sewer?

Representative Jim McGregor

77 S. High Street, 13th Floor

Columbus, OH  43215-6111

644-6002

district20@ohr.state.oh.us

Thanks,

Pam Clegg

For those who are sending letters and we all should be sending letters,

Don't forget to include the OCC.  They are a party to this agreement also.

Here is the address,

Office of the Ohio Consumers' Council

10 West Broad St. Suite 1800

Columbus, Ohio 43215-3485.

The more people who get copied the better.  They need to know just how angry we are at this backdoor attempt by OAWC and their (PUCO , OCC) complicity in this action.