Wedgefield residents want to kick the water company out of their community before a rate hike kicks in.
Pluris wants to raise water and sewer rates for about 1,600 customers in Wedgefield.
The board of the Public Service Commission, which oversees privately owned water and sewer companies, must approve the rate hike.
If the rate increase passes, the average customer will end up paying $7 more per month for water and about $3 more for sewer services.
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Pluris said it’s asking for the rate hike to recover operating costs.
Nearly two dozen customers spoke at a meeting Thursday morning, explaining why they don’t want to pay more for water that they can’t use.
“They’re ridiculously expensive. They have extremely poor-quality water,” said customer Connie West. “We have to go buy bottled water. I don’t even feed my dogs this water.”
Last year, tests showed high levels of cancer-causing chemicals in the water in Wedgefield.
Customers started a petition last year to get Orange County to step in and stop the rate hikes.
They needed 1,180 signatures, and so far, have collected 1,270, which accounts for nearly every homeowner Pluris services in Wedgefield.
“You can’t drink it, so there’s no point I having it,” West said.
The Public Service Commission will vote on the rate hike Jan. 4.
Cox Media Group
