Sewage hikes set in motion for next 5 years

-ALCOSAN-

In order to fund a series of planned infrastructure upgrades, the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) recently announced a new round of rate hikes taking effect annually through 2026.

User rates will accordingly raise by 7% increments, beginning with the current cost of $9.10 per 1,000 gallons and reaching $12.76 at the end of the five-year period.

Fixed quarterly billing rates will also rise to $20.45 beginning January 2022.

The most recent round of hikes follow a pattern of raises levied in recent years to fund federally-mandated infrastructure upgrades.

Officials tout the latest fee schedule as a best-case scenario that illustrates good financial management.

“We fully realize that raising rates is never a popular or easy thing to do,” Arletta Scott Williams, ALCOSAN’s executive director said in a press release announcing the raises. “These increases are much lower than we originally anticipated and will allow us to continue funding the important Clean Water Plan projects.”