PWSA Customers Invited to Participate in PA Public Utility Commission Public Hearings

Share your perspective about our proposed rate filing with the PUC at these public forums

Pittsburgh, PA – The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) will join the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to hear public comment on our recent proposal to increase rates for water, wastewater conveyance, and stormwater services.

The Public Hearings take place in-person on Tuesday, July 25 at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the Jeron X. Grayson Community Center in the Hill District and telephonically on Thursday, July 27 at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. For more information including pre-registration and how to join, please visit www.pgh2o.com/events-meetings.

On May 9, 2023, PWSA filed a three-year rate request with the PUC to support ongoing infrastructure improvements, meet more stringent regulatory requirements, and address increasing costs related to the treatment and distribution of drinking water services. This request, if approved, includes enhancements to our Customer Assistance Programs and would ensure ongoing investment to modernize our water systems and provide essential water, sewer, and stormwater services for current and future generations of customers.

The rate proposal allows us to build upon our recent accomplishments, some of which include:

  • Ongoing removal of lead service lines. In early 2023, we celebrated the removal of the 10,000th lead service line. Now, with more than half removed from our drinking water system, we are on track to remove all lead service lines by 2026.
  • Modernizing large, century old infrastructure. We completed the first phase of the Water Reliability Plan in late 2022 and immediately began constructing the second phase of projects. These once-in-a-generation improvements will strengthen our water system, add needed redundancy, and when complete will provide PWSA’s drinking water customers with more reliable service.
  • Providing financial relief to income qualified customers. With more than 6,000 customers enrolled in our Bill Discount Program, PWSA’s customer assistance programs support families who struggle to pay their bills. Our rate proposal includes enhancements to these programs and if approved, would expand their availability to more customers.
  • Replacing aging infrastructure in Pittsburgh neighborhoods. In 2022 we replaced seven miles of water main, rehabbed 18.6 miles of sewer main, replaced 233 storm drains and 88 fire hydrants. Our rehabilitation of aging infrastructure is an investment in Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods to ensure safe, reliable water, sewer, and fire protection services for years to come.
  • Meeting stringent environmental and regulatory requirements. Due to investments in our drinking water treatment, lead levels in tap water are at historical lows, and our 2022 Water Quality Report shows a clean bill of health for drinking water quality. With a highly qualified Compliance Team, we are well positioned to deliver on future regulatory obligations mandated by state and federal agencies. PWSA has never been better positioned to fulfill its mission to protect public health and the environment.
  • Improving stormwater management. In 2022, we completed six stormwater projects in five Pittsburgh neighborhoods and released the draft Stormwater Strategic Plan, which creates a framework to prioritize future stormwater projects. These projects and our long-term strategic planning will over time improve water quality and protect residents from basement backups and flooding. The stormwater fee is a more equitable way to charge for these improvements.

To support this investment, PWSA aggressively pursues state and federal funding. Since 2018, we have received more than $646 million in low-interest loans and grants from PENNVEST and this summer, announced a loan of more than $52 million from the EPA. This funding supports our capital program and is less expensive than commercial financing. Low-interest loans from state and federal funding partners and grants that do not need to be repaid will over time, save ratepayers millions of dollars in comparison to traditional financing.

Attending the Public Hearings

Members of the public are welcome to attend these hearings and provide comment for the public record. The hearings are an opportunity for customers to share their views on the Authority’s proposed rate increase to the presiding PUC Administrative Law Judge, PWSA representatives, and other parties in the case.

The public input hearings will be held in-person and telephonically and will take place on the following dates and times.

In-person

Tuesday, July 25th at 1:00 p.m. and Tuesday, July 25th at 6:00 p.m. at the Jerron X. Grayson Community Center (Media Room) located at 1852 Enoch Street, Pittsburgh PA 15219.

Telephonically

Thursday, July 27 at 1:00 p.m. and Thursday, July 27th at 6:00 p.m.

The public hearings are part of the PUC’s process to evaluate our recent proposal and need for this revenue. They will consider testimony from the public before making a final determination on the rate change. You do not need to be an expert to testify. Any testimony, whether supporting or opposing the Authority’s request, can be helpful to the PUC’s investigation. All testimony given under oath becomes part of the official rate case record.

To testify at these hearings, you may pre-register with the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) using one of the following options:

If you do not wish to testify but want to listen to the telephonic public input hearing on July 27, 2023, you may contact the OCA to obtain the call-in information by 3:00 pm on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 or call in using the following information.

Call-in Number: 646-558-8656

Webinar ID: 868 5138 3574

As a publicly owned and managed water and sewer authority, every dollar we receive from ratepayers is reinvested back into our infrastructure and the improvements we are making to provide high quality, reliable water, wastewater, and stormwater services. For more information about our rate proposal, please visit www.pgh2o.com/ourwaterfuture.