AQUA indicates they have not filed to change the rate structure for the vacant lots. They are to remain charged as they are currently. This is kind of a mixed blessing but it does alleviate the fear I had that the reduced rate for the vacant lots would be made an additional burden on the lots with homes.
Let's think about this for a minute. If they are asking for an overall revenue increase of 6% that means the entire new charge will be on the around 1800 home owners rather than the approximately 2400 actual billable accounts. This just keeps getting more complicated. To oversimplify, if a six percent increase is spread over the 1800 rather than 2400 it will need to be an increase of eight percent to get the same dollars. This increase will still be based upon usage and according to AQUA some will have a decrease and some an increase.
We all need to realize this still has to go through the ICC where they review the books of AQUA and determine if the increase is justified. The full increase requested is almost never allowed and it will be many months before a decision is made. When the filing is given a docket number it is put into "suspended" state, meaning they can not increase charges until it is ruled upon.
Rest assured some of us are looking into this and we will be following the progress. Will there be an increase? I am sure there will be, but our job as property owners is to keep their feet to the fire and keep the increase as small as possible.
Ken Dillenburg