City Water Department Initiates a Rate Hike to Hit Lock Haven Customers as of July 23, 2024

LOCK HAVEN—The City of Lock Haven Water Department announced Friday morning that it has filed a new tariff with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) for an increase in water rates to go into effect on July 23, 2024.

For customers outside the City of Lock Haven, the increased rate request that has been filed by the Water Department will need approval from the PUC.

The proposed overall rate increase is about $990,432 per year, which is a 64.2% hike. Of this amount, the city is seeking approval from the PUC to increase rates for customers outside of the city by $377,823, or 71.4%.

The city also plans to implement a PENNVEST (PVS) Surcharge to cover the costs of loans for necessary repairs to the water system. This surcharge, which will be effective at the same time as the base rate increase, will total $334,396, with $106,048 coming from customers outside the city.

The PUC only has the authority to approve increases for customers outside the City of Lock Haven; however, the Water Department plans to apply the same approved rate increase to all its customers, both inside and outside the city.

The city’s last rate increase was in January 2011, and the Water Department reports that new rates are necessary due to rising operational costs and the need to update aging infrastructure. The city also needs funds to repay several low-interest loans from PENNVEST that have been and will continue to be used for mandated repairs and modifications to the city’s water system.

If approved, the new water rates are scheduled to go into effect on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, and will be adjusted according to customer class as follows:

The total bill for an average residential customer using 13,500 gallons of water per quarter will increase from $100.46 to $108.85 per quarter, equating to an 8.4% increase.

Commercial customers using around 47,300 gallons per quarter (519.9 gallons per day) will see their bills rise from $260.72 to $400.32 per quarter, a 53.5% increase.

Industrial customers using approximately 2,330,472,500 gallons per quarter (25,609,588 gallons per day) will see a significant rise from $3,904.79 to $13,432.95 per quarter, an increase of 244%.

The PUC must approve the rate increase for customers outside the city. Customers can challenge the proposed increase by filing a formal complaint, sending a letter, or attending a public hearing if one is scheduled.

Customers living outside the City of Lock Haven, such as those in Allison, Castanea, or Wayne Townships, may challenge the rate increase before the PUC in three ways:

You can file a formal complaint with the PUC for a hearing before a judge. By filing a complaint, you will have the opportunity to take part in hearings about the rate increase. All complaints should be filed with the PUC before July 23, 2024. If no complaints are filed, the PUC may approve all, some, or none of the rate increase requests without holding a hearing before a judge.

Send a letter to the Water Department explaining why you oppose the rate increase. The Water Department notes that sometimes letters from its customers reveal issues with the city’s service or management that the city was unaware of. Send your letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Company (PUC) at 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120. This address may be used to request a formal complaint form, however, complaint forms are also available on the PUC’s website: https://www.puc.pa.gov/filing-resources/forms/complaint-forms/

Attend a Public Input Hearing as a witness. Public Input Hearings are held if the PUC opens an investigation of the city’s rate increase request and if a large number of customers are interested in the case. At these hearings, you can present your views to the PUC judge and city representatives in person. All testimony given “under oath” will become part of the official record of the rate case. These hearings take place within the City’s service area.

For more information or to express concerns, visit or send a letter to the PUC at 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17120, or access complaint forms on their website.

Customers can learn more about how this rate increase will affect their water bill or get details about their customer class by contacting the Water Department at (570) 893-5909.

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website:
https://www.puc.pa.gov/