WSSC Hosts Additional Public Meetings on New Rate Structure

From WSSC: June 1, 2017: WSSC is engaging in an extensive public outreach campaign to ensure customers are fully aware of plans to implement a new rate structure, which is scheduled to be adopted in June 2018. A key component of the outreach efforts is a series of public meetings to help inform WSSC customers on the rate structures under consideration and the impact these options have on their water and sewer bill. WSSC held three public meetings in May and has planned four additional meetings in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties starting Monday, June 5 in Rockville.

WHAT

WSSC is hosting the second round of rate structure informational meetings, which will include a presentation on the options under consideration and time to answer questions. The same information will be shared at each meeting. The complete schedule of all meetings can be found at www.wsscwater.com/ratestudy.

WHERE & WHEN

WHY

The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) recently ordered WSSC to develop a new rate structure. The PSC ruled that WSSC’s current 16-tier rate structure is unduly preferential to low-usage customers. Since last summer, WSSC has been actively engaged in a transparent rate structure study involving input from customers, stakeholders and county government representatives. WSSC’s current rate structure was adopted 25 years ago and good management practice dictates periodic review of rate structure alternatives. The new rate structure is intended to better align operational and capital costs with rates. Additionally, a new rate structure will provide a more predictable revenue stream to pay for infrastructure improvements. With more than a third of WSSC water mains more than 50 years old, replacing aging infrastructure is key to WSSC’s mission to deliver safe, clean water.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All meetings will be livestreamed either on WSSC’s Facebook page or via WSSC’s website. For more information on the rate study, and to view video recordings from the May meetings, please visit: www.wsscwater.com/ratestudy. Those unable to attend the meetings can watch via livestream and provide comments to: BudgetGroup@wsscwater.com. WSSC videos promoting the upcoming meetings can be found on the WSSC YouTube Channel (English and Spanish).

Photo courtesy of WSSC