Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.
Gaston County Courthouse County Commission, Public Forum Room 2nd Floor
325 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
Gastonia, North Carolina 28052

Only customers who give testimony during a public hearing (in-person or virtual) will have their comments weighed during the rate case proceedings. 

Aqua North Carolina is seeking approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) to raise rates for all water and sewer customers and to establish a Water and Sewer Investment Plan (WSIP).

Read the full application with the proposed rates

Water & Sewer Investment Plan:
The WSIP is a multi-year rate-making mechanism that will allow Aqua to set rates through 2025 without a formal rate case or public input to “recover the reasonably known and measurable capital investments and anticipated reasonable and prudent expenses approved under the WSIP.” Aqua has filed its three-year plan with its application which lists proposed water and sewer capital investment projects, anticipated water and sewer expenses, and the proposed rates to be effective in each year of the WSIP.

Proposed Rates (with and without WSIP approval):
The blow tables show how Aqua NC customers would be impacted by the proposed rates. 1″ meters apply to most residential customers.

Quick definitions:
“Existing”: current rates
“Proposed”: if the WSIP is not approved, this is what Aqua is asking for new rates

“WSIP Year 1, 2, 3”: description of new rates for the next 3 years if the WSIP is approved.
WSIP Year 1 would reflect 2023
WSIP Year 2, 2024
WSIP Year 3, 2025

If your water usage is not metered and you pay a monthly flat rate:

Hearing Schedule:
Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.
North Carolina Utilities Commission
430 North Salisbury Street Commission Hearing Room 2115
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603

Thursday, October 20, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.
Virtual Hearing Held via Webex

Wednesday, October 26, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.
New Hanover County Courthouse
317 Princess Street Courtroom 317
Wilmington, North Carolina 28401

Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.
Gaston County Courthouse County Commission, Public Forum Room 2nd Floor
325 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
Gastonia, North Carolina 28052

Monday, January 9, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
Dobbs Building 430 North Salisbury Street Hearing Room 2115
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
*** Expert Witness Testimony Only

Instructions for Participating in the Virtual Hearing on October 20th:
The October 20, 2022, public witness hearing shall be held remotely via Webex, beginning at 6:30 p.m. A link to view the hearing will be available at www.ncuc.net.

Members of the public that would like to testify must register in advance of the hearing, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2022, either by email at ncucpublichearing@ncuc.net or by calling 919-733-0837.

Individuals registering to testify must provide their name, the docket number (W-218, Sub 573), the exact telephone number they will use to participate in the hearing, and the topic of their testimony. Witnesses calling from any number different from the number provided at registration may be delayed or experience other difficulty in providing their testimony.

Only individuals registered by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2022, will be allowed to testify at the October 20, 2022, remote public witness hearing. This hearing will be canceled if no one registers to testify by 5:00 p.m. on October 13, 2022.