Rate Increase In Effect March 1 For Clearwater Gas Customers

CLEARWATER, FL — Effective March 1, Clearwater Gas System's residential customer rates will see an increase for natural and propane gas customers.

This increase will affect the following customers:

Residential natural gas customers will see a $2 per month increase intheir monthly customer charge.

Residential propane gas customers will see a $20 per year increase intheir annual customer charge.

The decision to increase gas service fees is tied to the costs required to consistently support a safe and resilient gas system. This increase also corrects a fee assessment imbalance between commercial and residential customer service charges.

During last year's rate review, the utility's rate consultant recommended a $4 per month customer charge increase. However, the Clearwater City Council voted to implement the increase in two phases:

The first $2 per month increase went into effect March 1, 2021. The second $2 per month increase goes into effect March 1.

Clearwater Gas System urges residential customers needing assistance paying their natural and/or propane gas bills to contact Clearwater's Utility Customer Service office at 727-562-4600 to be referred to local agencies that may be able to assist residents who need help making their utility bill payments.

Clearwater Gas System is the fourth-largest municipal gas system in Florida and ranks 34th out of nearly 1,000 public gas systems in the United States. Clearwater Gas System's service territory includes 20 municipalities and unincorporated areas within northern and central Pinellas County, western and central Pasco County and part of Hillsborough County.