At Carolina Water Service of North Carolina, we know you rely on us to deliver safe and reliable water to your home or business, and we are proud to serve our customers and communities.
When you get your monthly water bill, you are paying your share of the cost to operate and maintain the water system.
Our company is subject to strong oversight by regulators at the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC). For example, changing rates requires a lengthy public review where the NCUC and others help ensure that we are operating efficiently, complying with important regulations, and planning for the future.
On July 2022, Carolina Water Service Inc., of North Carolina (“CWNC”) filed with the North Carolina Utilities (“Commission”) an application requesting authority to adjust its rate schedules and to increase its rates.
This rate request was necessary due to recent major capital projects needed to improve service to customers, increases in costs for third-party purchased water and wastewater treatment, increases in property taxes related to capital investment, and updates to depreciation rates. The Company has invested approximately $17.3 million in its water and wastewater infrastructure since the last rate case filed on July 2, 2021, Docket number is W-354, Sub 384.
Per North Carolina Code (General Statutes § 62-135), the Company is permitted to initiate rates on a temporary, interim basis effective for service rendered on and after January 31, 2023, if the Commission has not entered a final order by the date. These alternate rates are subject to refund with interest should the temporary rates be deemed higher than the rates ordered by the Commission.
All rate requests are vetted by the Public Staff of the North Carolina Utilities Commission and any other intervening parties in the proceedings. You can track the progress and public filings of the rate case using the link below to the North Carolina Utilities Commission website. Please refer to Docket W-354 Sub 400. In addition, customers can provide feedback to the NCUC per the website located at https://www.ncuc.gov.
Please reference the previously provided summary of rate changes for each customer, effective January 31, 2023. Customers may view electronic copies of the Commission’s orders and other public filing documents for this Docket W-354 Sub 400 at the Commission website mentioned above.
Below are the links to the Bond Notices.
Appendix A - CWSNC Uniform Rates Under Bond Notice
Appendix B - BFFHTC Rates Under Bond Notice