Water woes heard at PUC hearing
Harold Close and his family are seeking a source of clean water. He said they have a well on their North Strabane Township property, but the water from it isn’t potable.
Close said he has appealed to Pennsylvania American Water to provide service to his Lindley Road home. The company, however, said it cannot extend a line 3,000 feet from its service area for only one set of customers.
“We purchase every ounce of water we use,” Close said.
Close outlined his case Monday at a Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission hearing in Washington. He was one of two people to testify at a public comment hearing on a rate increase requested by the company, which serves about 2.3 million Pennsylvanians, including much of Washington County.
The half-hour hearing, at Courthouse Square, was the first of nine to be conducted statewide over the next week and a half.
Testimony gathered at statewide hearings will be considered before the PUC makes a decision on the rate request, by Jan. 18, 2018.
PUC Administrative Law Judge Jeff Watson, who presided over the local proceeding, addressed an audience of about 15. He advised prospective speakers they could testify under oath, or off the record, or provide information to an attorney from either side – or both – after the meeting. Their input then could be considered in the decision-making process.
PAWC is seeking an increase that, for a residential customer using 3,630 gallons per month, would raise the monthly bill by $9.49 – from $55.63 to $65.12.
The company, according to a news release, is seeking the rate increase mainly because of the $1.26 billion it spent to improve aging infrastructure since its last rate case in 2013. PAWC said if its request is approved, a customer “would receive a day’s worth of water … for around $2.18.”
In making his pitch, Close said he has spoken with township officials, state legislators and Pennsylvania American about what he, his wife and son face. He said he will submit reports from Moody & Associates, an environmental consultant in Houston, about his water quality. Close added Range Resources previously drilled for natural gas near his property, but his well water was not potable before that.
Close said he “can see” a fire hydrant from his house, “but it is not close enough” to serve the family. Dave Ward, field operations superintendent, said Close has reached out to the company, but “with one individual (customer), we cannot extend. We cannot lay pipe 3,000 feet.”
Gary Lobaugh, manager of external affairs, said the company does reach out to larger numbers of customers, perhaps 40 to 60. “When we’ve done that,” he said, “we’ve had a large number of other customers who have tapped in.”
Lobaugh added Pennsylvania American has extended 60 miles of lines in Washington County alone in the past 10 years.
Mary Sally, director of programs for Dollar Energy Fund, also spoke on the record. She touted the partnership with PAWC on Dollar Energy’s Water Assistance Program for limited-income customers.
Another hearing was scheduled in Brookline Monday night, and one is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Hilton Garden Inn in Uniontown. The remaining six will be outside Western Pennsylvania.
There also will be a “Smart Hearing” at 1 p.m. Thursday in Harrisburg, which will be broadcast live on the PUC website. The public may comment via telephone.