Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County customers will be charged an additional 9.5% for water and sewer services starting in April.
The authority board approved a $129 million budget that included the second rate hike in the past two years. The latest, officials said, is attributed to costs for energy, construction materials and chemicals, as well as expected borrowing in 2025 to pay for future infrastructure upgrades.
“This is necessary for us to keep moving forward and because it costs us more to do it. We have to keep improving the system,” MAWC board Chairman Randy Roadman said.
After six years of level rates, the authority last year approved average increases of 9%, citing similar concerns over inflation.
Authority manager Michael Kukura said those costs continued to increase over the past year few years. Since 2022, costs of chemicals used to treat the water supply before it is sent to customers rose by 127%, while asphalt and concrete used to repave roads and make other surface repairs following water and sewer line fixes rose by 102% over the same time period. Meanwhile, electricity costs jumped by 60%, with another 15% increase anticipated in June, Kukura said.
Water customers who use an average of 3,000 gallons each month will see their quarterly bills increase by $11.82.
“Our rates are still considerably lower than other water providers. We are still the most affordable,” Kukura said.
The authority sells water to more than 123,000 customers in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong, Fayette and Indiana counties.
It also services nearly 32,000 sewer customers. Rate hikes for sewer customers will vary based on location.
Sewer customers in Mt. Pleasant will see monthly increases of $1; Ligonier-area customers’ bills will increase by $4.18. The average increase in Avonmore will be $2.92; and in Hempfield monthly bills will jump by $3.31. Sewer rates in Youngwood will increase by 81 cents a month.
Customers in Sewickley will see an increase of $1.91 monthly; it will be 88 cents in Upper Tyrone. Jeannette customers will pay $1.71 more on average each month, while customers in East Huntingdon will see rates hiked on average ranging from 55 cents to $2.45 each month. Sewer rates for customers in White Oak will jump by $5.14 each month, while customers in Scottdale and Everson will see no increases as part of a recent purchase agreement.
The rate hikes are expected to bring additional revenue that will, in part, be used to offset a planned borrowing of up to $80 million to pay for water and system upgrades over the next five years, Kukura said.
The $129 million budget includes a projected $6.69 million surplus authority officials said will serve as a hedge against unanticipated expenses and inflation during the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The authority expects to end the current fiscal year in late March with a $1 million surplus.