New York American Water rates to increase April 1

New York American Water rates are set to increase again next month, as the third year of the utility’s conservation-rate hike begins.

Under the rate increase, which will go into effect April 1, the average customer in the Lynbrook service district, which includes Valley Stream, who uses 8,000 gallons of water a month will see their monthly water bill increase 7.96 percent, or $4.47.

“Water still remains less than a penny per gallon,” said Lynda DiMenna, president of NYAW.

The conservation rate hike has been in effect since 2017, when the New York State Public Service Commission approved NYAW’s request for a four-year phase-in of increases. According to DiMenna, the utility implemented the rate hikes to satisfy the State Department of Environmental Conservation’s request to have every Long Island water supplier reduce summertime water consumption by 15 percent by 2021. “We have to do our part,” DiMenna said.

Under the conservation-rate hike, customers are divided into four tiers based on the amount of water they use. The more a customer uses, DiMenna said, the higher rate they would pay. The size of one’s water meter, the taxes NYAW pay and the cost of infrastructure upgrades also contribute to the water bill.

“[Water usage] is where our customers have the most control over reducing their bills,” DiMenna said. “If they reduce their consumption, they will be saving money.” But Bill Varley, the utility’s former deputy chief operating officer, said at a town hall last August that customers could be using less water than in previous years and still pay more.

Varley’s admission came in response to residents’ complaints that their water bills skyrocketed last year, even if their water usage decreased. At the town hall, Woodmere resident Pearl Bluth said she paid $177.87 for using 31,900 gallons of water in 2016, and in 2018 she paid $245.25 for using 26,500 gallons — more than 5,000 gallons less.

State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach, said he received more than 400 phone calls from constituents who complained their water bills increased by several hundred dollars. An analysis of the complaints his office received showed that NYAW’s base rates increased by 135 percent. Anger over the high rate increases led to calls for public water, but Kaminsky in a recent interview said no municipality had any interest in taking over the utility.

In June, the PSC found that NYAW deceived the agency by filing falsified information when seeking approval for the tiered-rate system.

Then, in November, the federal Government Accountability Office announced it would investigate how NYAW uses federal funds, as requested by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer. Specifically, investigators will look into federal funding that the senator contends NYAW and its parent company, American Water, are seeking from the Environmental Protection Agency.

To further encourage residents to conserve water, NYAW is starting a Water Control program, which will include water savings how-to kits, an indoor conservation kit, a deal for a smart irrigation controller at a reduced price and an improved website that would allow customers to see their water usage over the past three years. The company will also upgrade its communications to provide customers with an online water use calculator, water use alerts and social media postings about how customers could more effectively use water.

“We’re really going to target high water use customers,” said Lee Muller, the external affairs manager for NYAW.

NYAW will be holding conservation workshops as well. A workshop for residents in the Lynbrook Service District will take place on March 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Lynbrook High School, a workshop for residents in the North Shore Service District will take place on March 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Glen Cove Knights of Columbus and a workshop for residents in the Merrick Service District will take place on April 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Merrick Library. More information about the conservation rate hike is expected to be mailed to customers.

This story was updated on March 14 at 12:23 p.m. for clarity.