Aquarion Seeks Another Water Rate Increase for Locals

Aquarion Water Company is expected to officially file a request later this month with the state's Public Utilities Commission for another increase to local customers' rates.

Hampton Town Manager Fred Welch said he's received information that the company will seek a 1.9 percent increase in its Water Infrastructure and Conservation Adjustment (WICA) surcharges.

The increase, if approved by the PUC, would kick in on April 1 less than one year after the PUC approved a 15.2 percent rate increase for Aquarion customers in Hampton, North Hampton and Rye. 

Aquarion had sought a controversial 18.3 percent.

Carl McMorran, Aquarion's operations manager, said the 1.9 percent figure reported by Welch and the town "is not correct," though. He said that while "the increase is estimated to be less than that," the official number "will not be finalized until approved by the Public Utilities Commission." 

"The most accurate statement I can make is that a small rate increase is expected in the second quarter," said McMorran, adding that the rate "will be less than" 2 percent.

Welch said the rate increase will be as part of the 2013 WICA charges, and that proposed increases to the 2014 WICA charges "are yet to come."