A possible utility rate hike is being discussed for West Virginia American Water customers. It would affect 172,000 customers in 22 counties.

On Monday night, at a public hearing, only two people spoke out sharing their thoughts on the proposed hike.

“I’m here to ask the PSC to finally, once and for all, take care of the consumers of water by making sure the water company follows industry standards and international code,” WVAW customer, Howard Swint said.

According to a press release from West Virginia American Water, the new rates would be implemented in two steps with the first step of a $11 increase per month going into effect on March 1st, 2026.

The second step establishes final rates would be a $5 increase becoming effective on March 1st, 2027. Those numbers being based on the bill of an average residential customer.

“The system we’re hoping to get a hearing on today is terribly antiquated and it also has a lot of other shortcomings that cheat the water rate consumers by virtue of the fact that they’re putting band-aids on a system that should really be replaced. Now that’s going to require money, I understand that” Swint said.

In total, water rates would see a $46 million increase, and sewer rates would see a $1.4 million increase. According to the company, these increases would go towards making further improvements to their infrastructure.

“In downtown Charleston, last year it was flooded. We pay for that as consumers. We have to pay for that. It’s a system that’s antiquated that has to be fixed. So that requires money to bring it up to international code and industry standards. It’s something we all will pay less in the future for by virtue of having a system that’s reliable,” Swint said.