Virginians May See Water Bill Nearly Double

Some Virginia residents can expect their water and sewer bills to go up by as much as 42 percent after Aqua Virginia recently submitted a rate increase.

The increase averages 32.88 percent for water bills and 8.3 percent for sewer rates, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, but some of Aqua Virginia's 107,000 customers could see water rates spike as high as 42 percent or as low as 21 percent.

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The news in Virginia comes as municipalities across the nation have recently considered an increase in water bills for a variety of reasons, ranging from new nanofiltration systems to reduce the levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, to less water storage in reservoirs because of damaged dams.

"Aqua Virginia is focused on operational and infrastructure improvements to provide safe, reliable water and wastewater service in the communities that we serve, and periodic rate increases are needed to ensure that we are meeting our commitment to our customers," a spokesperson from the company told Newsweek. "This increase would recover money already spent by Aqua Virginia on infrastructure investment, ongoing capital improvements, as well as operation and maintenance costs to run our water and wastewater systems."

The recent agreement is less than Aqua Virginia's original request, which averaged 33.88 percent for water rates and 21.09 percent for sewer rates. The last time Aqua Virginia raised rates was in 2020.

Most customers can expect to pay around a 31 percent increase, which averages out to an extra $13.73 per bill, bringing their monthly average cost to $57.83, Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

The agreement will now appear before State Corporate Commission (SCC) staff, who will review the agreement and consider an official approval. SCC rules allow Aqua Virginia to "collect temporary interim rates" prior to the final rates that are expected to be received later this year, the spokesperson said.

"If the interim rates that were put in place on Feb. 5, 2024, are higher than the final approved ordered rates a refund will be issued to the customers for the over-billing during this period," the spokesperson said.

If approved, the agreement also requires Aqua Virginia to comply with new federal regulations regarding PFAS levels. PFAS encompass thousands of man-made chemicals found in everyday items like non-stick cookware, fire-fighting foams, grease-resistant food wrappers, water-resistant clothing and other items. PFAS, known as "forever chemicals" because of the long time it takes the chemicals to break down, can cause harm in high exposure amounts.

During the breakdown process, PFAS can seep into the soil and water supply. These chemicals also threaten the water supply when products containing them are dumped onto the ground or into lakes and rivers. Earlier this month, the Biden administration finalized stricter limits on "forever chemicals," including PFAS.

The new rules will require utilities to reduce levels of "forever chemicals" to the lowest possible level they can be measured. In 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a revised warning that even small amounts of some PFAS chemicals could pose risks to people if consumed.

Under the new federal rule, water providers will have up to five years to replace water plants if PFAS levels are too high—three years to conduct testing and two years to remedy the situation by installing new treatment plants.

Rising water bills have become a topic of discussion elsewhere in the nation, too. Albuquerque, New Mexico, is considering raising water and sewer bills to cover an increase in fuel, power and chemical costs; and Broward County, Florida, is considering a water bill increase to pay for a new $300 million water treatment plant.