SKOWHEGAN — Water bills for residential and commercial users in Skowhegan will go up about 4 cents per day this year if the Maine Public Utilities Commission approves a rate increase.

Maine Water Co., which supplies water to about 2,400 customers in the company’s Skowhegan District, filed a request on Tuesday for $69,022 in additional revenue, according to a company news release.

Maine Water’s request would add about 4 cents per day to the water bill of a residential customer who uses 1,200 cubic feet per quarter, or about 100 gallons per day. The last time rates were increased in the Skowhegan Division was 2011.

The PUC has up to nine months to review the request and make a final decision, but a decision could be made sooner. All customers will be mailed a notice of this proceeding, which outlines their rights to participate in the process.

“We continue to see declining consumption, with a 6 percent decrease in water sales since 2010,” Maine Water president Judy Wallingford said in the release. “At the same time, we are continuing our commitment to replace aging water mains, with almost $400,000 of capital replacement projects underway this summer throughout Skowhegan.”

If the PUC approves Maine Water’s entire rate request, the average quarterly bill for a customer using 100 gallons of water a day would be $65.95, or about $22 per month. Residential customers would continue to pay less than a penny per gallon of water delivered directly to their taps, Wallingford said.

The Skowhegan utility is one of 20 Maine water or wastewater systems owned or operated by Maine Water.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367
dharlow@centralmaine.com