Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania American Water receives recommendations amid concerns over proposed rate increase – Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Published

2 years ago

January 4, 2024

Pennsylvania American Water receives recommendations amid concerns over proposed rate increase – Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Pennsylvania American Water, the public utility company tasked with providing water and wastewater services to more than half of Pennsylvania counties, received a list of recommendations in late 2023 that it says it will work to implement.

Not included in the most recent audit report was mention of concerns over a proposed rate increase, requested by the utility company less than a year after its last rate increase was implemented, and amid soaring utility costs for consumers. The audits are regularly conducted by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

Pa. House panel revisits utility privatization law as consumers face soaring water and sewer bills

The PUC reports that Pennsylvania American Water is the largest water and wastewater service provider in the Commonwealth, serving 681,707 water and 97,585 wastewater customers in 37 counties across Pennsylvania.

In its audit report, PUC made 31 recommendations to Pennsylvania American Water, among them were:

Reducing unaccounted-for-water (UFW) below the PUC’s 20% threshold and reporting UFW correctly,
Reducing service line hits to the company’s underground facilities, including damage by PAWC employees and contractors,
Improving physical security for control rooms and systems,
Improving customer service performance to at least pre-pandemic levels,
And continuing outreach efforts to assist customers in need by leveraging low-income resources to help reduce the number of customers with outstanding balances.

A spokesperson for Pennsylvania American Water told the Capital-Star that it believes the audit was a success with fewer findings from the PUC compared to the Commission’s last audit, which was conducted from 2014-2016.

In its response to the Commission, Pennsylvania American Water accepted all 31 of the PUC’s recommendations in full or part and indicated that it plans to implement most of them by the end of 2024.

“We are confident that our implementation plan demonstrates our commitment to take appropriate actions resulting from this important effort,” David Misner, a spokesperson for the utility, said.

On Dec. 21, the PUC voted unanimously to suspend a proposed rate increase for water and wastewater services provided by Pennsylvania American Water to conduct a “detailed investigation and analysis” of the proposed change.

The PUC reported last month that the proposed rate change would increase the company’s total annual operating revenues for water services by approximately $199.2 million, or more than 24%, and increase total annual operating revenues for wastewater services by approximately $4.7 million or 2.5%.

In a Dec. 10 letter to PUC Chairperson Steve DeFrank, state Rep. Jim Haddock (D-Luzerne) urged the Commission to suspend the rate increase, saying that it was “especially concerning considering PAW was just approved for a 14.5% increase by the PUC in April 2023.”

Pennsylvania American Water reported in late 2022 that the increase slated for 2023 was needed to cover the costs of replacing aging water and wastewater management systems.

“The company continues to make needed investments to replace aging infrastructure, comply with water quality and environmental regulations and meet customers’ water and wastewater service needs,” a statement from the utility reads.

While the proposed rate increase was suspended by the PUC before it was scheduled to take effect, Haddock wrote that he had heard from concerned constituents who said they were worried about the impact of the proposed increase.

“My district offices are being overwhelmed by constituents who are filled with dread and worry about how they can afford such a sudden and expensive water rate increase,” Haddock said. “This is a substantial burden for customers struggling to pay their bills and make ends meet.”

Misner said the Commission’s decision regarding the suspension of the proposed rate change is “a typical action in every large utility rate filing.”

“This allows time for the Commission and other parties to thoroughly review the request and provide opportunities for public input,” Misner said, adding that the utility informed customers not to expect the proposed increase to take effect until August 2024.

A final decision by the PUC on the rate increase request is due by Aug. 7. The next audit is scheduled to begin in 2026.

Source link

Related Topics:Featured Public utilities public-utility-commission puc

Click to comment

Pennsylvania

Pa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico

Published

1 hour ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Pa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico

A Pennsylvania man was found guilty of repeatedly raping his daughter’s best friend over a three-year span before fleeing with the teen to Mexico.

On Thursday, March 5, 2026, Kevin Esterly, 53, of Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, was convicted on all counts of rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary sexual intercourse and endangering the welfare of children.

Esterly shook his head as the verdict was read but said nothing in the courtroom.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.

Esterly’s trial began on Tuesday, March 3, after a judge denied his pretrial motion for the charges against him to be dismissed and for the Lehigh County District Attorney to be removed as a prosecutor in the case.

Both Esterly and his victim testified on Wednesday, March 4.

The victim — who is now 24-years-old — told the courtroom that she met Esterly and his family while attending church as a child and became best friends with one of his daughters. Esterly was a youth leader and elder at the church at the time. The victim said Esterly also coached her soccer team.

The victim said she became so close to Esterly’s family that she called his wife “mom” and eventually spent almost every weekend at their home in Lowhill Township, Pennsylvania. She also said she vacationed with them in New York state and Ocean City, Maryland.

The victim said Esterly first sexually assaulted her in August 2015 when she was 13-years-old after he gave her alcohol during a family birthday party.

“I was scared. Frozen in fear,” the woman told the courtroom on Wednesday. “I pretended I was sleeping.”

The woman accused Esterly of sexually assaulting her almost every time she slept over at his home. She told the courtroom she eventually became addicted to alcohol and drugs, which Esterly gave her in exchange for sex. According to the woman, Esterly gave her cocaine and methamphetamine to keep her awake during school because she “would be up with him all night.”

The woman said Esterly continued to sexually assault her until he was confronted by his wife in 2017. Esterly’s wife then threw him out of the house, according to the victim. She said Esterly continued to sexually assault her over the next year.

Esterly was later arrested and then sentenced to prison after federal agents found him with the victim in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, in 2018. She was 16-years-old at the time.

The woman said she moved on and went to college after Esterly’s sentencing though she still struggled with drug addiction. She said she sought counseling in February 2025. She told the courtroom she received a message from Esterly on LinkedIn that same month in which he apologized for “failing you as a person I was supposed to be for you.” At that point Esterly had been released from prison.

The woman said she had not told anyone about her relationship with Esterly up to that point and replied to him, “I live with our secret every day as I promised. I would appreciate an apology.”

The woman told the courtroom that Esterly responded by writing, “I hope one day you can forgive me. Nobody knows I reached out to you. That is the best for both of us.”

On Feb. 21, 2025, Allentown Police received a report of Esterly’s sexual assaults which led to the new charges being filed against him. He was arrested in West Virginia in June 2025 after two police pursuits. He was then extradited to Pennsylvania.

The victim told the courtroom on Wednesday that she kept quiet about Esterly’s abuse for years because she “was afraid to speak,” and felt “dirty and ashamed.”

“I wasn’t ready to tell anyone,” she said. “He was a father figure in my life. I loved him.”

The woman also said she didn’t want to hurt Esterly’s daughter who was her best friend.

When the District Attorney asked her why she was “here today,” she replied by saying, “I want to tell the truth. I want to be set free.”

The woman ended her testimony by saying, “I don’t want to live with this secret anymore.”

After her testimony, Esterly took the stand for 45 minutes, denied all of the accusations against him and accused the woman of lying.

Closing arguments then took place Thursday morning. It then took an hour for the jury of seven women and five men to reach their verdict.

Source link

Pennsylvania

3 dead in apparent murder-suicide spanning from Pennsylvania to Illinois, police say

Published

13 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

3 dead in apparent murder-suicide spanning from Pennsylvania to Illinois, police say

Madeline Bartos,

Jennifer Borrasso

Updated on: March 5, 2026 / 2:16 AM EST
/ CBS Pittsburgh

Two women are dead in Pennsylvania and a man is dead in Illinois after an apparent murder-suicide, police said on Wednesday.

According to a report from the Pennsylvania State Police, the investigation began in Hillside, Illinois, when police there were dispatched after a man reported two women dead in Jackson Township, Pennsylvania. Police said that when officers got to Hillside, about 15 miles west of Chicago, they found that the man had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

After identifying him, troopers said Hillside officers contacted police from Jackson Township to request a welfare check at the man’s home on Dior Drive, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Map shows distance from Hillside, Illinois, to Zelienople, Pennsylvania

KDKA

Police said officers used forced entry to get into the home and found two women dead from apparent gunshot wounds. It’s believed the two women were family members of the man who died by suicide in Illinois, investigators said.

Pennsylvania State Police said they’ve assumed control of the case and are “actively investigating” what happened surrounding the three deaths.

Police didn’t release any names, saying the process of formal identification and notification of next of kin hasn’t been completed. Sources told KDKA that the victims were a husband, wife and their daughter.

“At this time, investigators believe there is no ongoing threat to the public, and law enforcement is not searching for any additional individuals in connection with this incident,” police wrote in the public information release report. “This remains an active and ongoing investigation.”

State police didn’t release any other details on Wednesday but said more information will be made public when it’s available.

“My first reaction was shocked because this is such a close-knit neighborhood, and to think something that horrible could happen here is very tragic because they were such a good family,” neighbor Danielle Sporer said on Wednesday.

In:

Source link

Pennsylvania

Top Pennsylvania 2027 quarterback enrolls into Coatesville (Pa.)

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Top Pennsylvania 2027 quarterback enrolls into Coatesville (Pa.)

One of the top 2027 Pennsylvania high school quarterbacks from the 2025 season has announced that he’s leaving for a new home.

Per an announcement by Class of 2027 signal caller Mikal Shank Jr., the quarterback has left Harrisburg (Pa.) and is now at Coatesville (Pa.) for his senior season. Shank Jr. last season started 14 games for the Cougars and is arguably one of the state’s top returning players behind center heading into the 2026 campaign.