Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Warsaw residents may see their water bills go up next year if a rate increase requested by United Water Indiana is approved.
United Water filed a petition on Nov. 24 with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for a 23 percent increase in water service rates, said Lester Melton, general manager.
The proposed increase would raise the average customer's bill by about $4.45 per month, he said.
Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins said the increase will probably be discussed at Friday's Board of Works meeting.
"It's not unexpected," he said, "but obviously we'd like to see it less than 23 percent."
"The rate's not set in stone," Melton said. "It's what the company feels like we need based on past experience."
He said the requested increase would cover expenses the utility already has incurred "or will have incurred by the time the rate increase goes into effect."
Once the petition for a rate increase is submitted to the IURC, Melton said, the analysis and investigation by the IURC may take as long as 10 months.
The company's last increase was in 1994, when, as Hoosier Water Co., they requested a 50 percent increase that was negotiated by city attorneys down to 17 percent.
Melton said United Water has spent close to $2.4 million over the last four years in expanding and upgrading water treatment facilities in Indiana, and the requested increase is directly related to those improvements.
United Water has approximately 4,000 customers in the Warsaw and Winona Lake area.
