Low Income Families in WV Could Soon See Help on Water Bills - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

Low Income Families in WV Could Soon See Help on their Water Bills

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By Douglas Fritz - email

West Virginia American Water filed a petition on Thursday, July 19, with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.  The company is seeking a rate discount for certain low-income customers.

"While we have made sincere efforts to make water service even more affordable for those customers in the greatest need, water service costs have increased over the years due to much needed capital investment to ensure the reliability of water service and to meet new, more stringent regulations," said President Jeff McIntyre. "We embarked on this effort as
a way to lessen this impact for customers struggling to make ends meet."

If granted, residential West Virginia American Water customers would be able to receive a 20-percent discount on their monthly bill if they receive assistance in one of the following forms:

·  Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
·  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
·  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families-Unemployed Parent Program (TANF-UP)
·  Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

SNAP participants must also be 60 years of age or older.

Under the program, the average residential household bill would be discounted from $41.37 to $33.10 per month and the minimum bill would be discounted from $21.67 to $17.34 per
month.

"Although water and sewer bills are among the lowest household bills West Virginians pay, our rates must reflect the true cost of providing service, which includes our capital investments as well as all of the operating costs associated with the treatment, monitoring and distribution of your water," McIntyre said. "Our current rates provide our customers with high quality water service at an exceptional value, approximately a penny per gallon. With this discount program in place, some customers will now receive this service for even less than a penny per gallon."

The discounted rate program, which is administered through the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, is already in place for electric and gas utilities, and was recently expanded to include private water utilities. The customer savings associated with this program would not be subsidized by other West Virginia American Water customers. Rather, the company would be reimbursed through a credit toward its state business and occupation tax.

In the past, West Virginia American Water has offered utility assistance through the Dollar Energy Fund, which historically has provided one-time grants to a few hundred eligible West Virginia American Water customers each year. This new low income customer assistance program would allow thousands of customers to receive assistance each month year round.

More information can be found by visiting www.westvirginiaamwater.com.