WSSC Announces Public Meetings on New Water Rate Structure: New Rates May Affect You
Source: https://www.wsscwater.com/contents/news/2017/media-advisory–wssc-seeks-publi.html
From WSSC: “WSSC is engaging in an extensive public outreach campaign to ensure our customers are fully aware of plans to change our current 16-tier rate structure. A key component of this multifaceted effort includes hosting a series of public meetings to help inform and educate our customers on the rate structures under consideration and the impacts these options have on their water and sewer bill. We recently mailed out the attached flier to all WSSC customers inviting them to the following meetings:
May 8, 2017, 7:30 PM
Prince George’s County
RMS Building Room 308
1400 McCormick Drive
Largo, MD 20774
May 9, 2017, 7:30 PM
Montgomery County
Stella B. Werner Building
7th Floor Council Hearing Room
100 Maryland Ave.
Rockville, MD 20850
May 10, 2017, 7:30 PM
WSSC Auditorium
14501 Sweitzer Lane
Laurel, MD 20707
These interactive meetings will include a presentation on the options under consideration and time to answer questions. The same information will be shared at each meeting. We plan to hold four additional meetings in June and will update you when those dates/times/locations have been finalized. Our comment period will be extended until after the June meetings. Those unable to attend these meetings can provide comments to: BudgetGroup@wsscwater.com.
Additional Outreach Efforts
Aside from the direct mailing to all customers, we have been working diligently to publicize these informational meetings through a variety of methods, including: radio advertising, news releases, social media, videos and on our website. We welcome any assistance you can provide in promoting these meetings to ensure maximum public awareness and participation. Additional information on the rate study can be found here: https://www.wsscwater.com/ratestudy.
Background
As you may know, WSSC has been actively engaged in a transparent rate structure study since last summer involving input from customers, stakeholders and county government representatives. The new rate structure is intended to better align operational and capital costs with rates. Additionally, a new rate structure will provide a more predictable revenue stream to pay for infrastructure improvements. With more than a third of WSSC water mains over 50 years old, replacing our aging infrastructure is key to our mission to deliver safe, clean water to our customers. Our efforts to develop a new rate structure also are consistent with the recent ruling from the Maryland Public Service Commission, which ordered us to develop a new reasonable rate structure.
After extensive customer outreach and public involvement, our goal is to adopt a new rate structure in June 2018. Please contact me should you have any questions about our rate structure study or upcoming public meetings. You also may contact Karyn Riley, WSSC’s Director of Intergovernmental Relations, at 301-206-8147 or Karyn.Riley@wsscwater.com.”
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