Pittsburgh Water is raising rates for most customers March 8.
The utility’s typical customer will see monthly bills climb to $115.29 from $100.27, reflecting a roughly 15% increase.
Nearly 9,000 low-income ratepayers enrolled in a discount program are facing much smaller average hikes, and may even see their costs go down due to more generous financial aid.
The cutoff for the discounts is 200% of the federal poverty level, which is $32,000 for an individual.
Commercial customers will experience price hikes of about 15%. Industrial customers are bracing for the biggest increase at 28%.
Altogether, the publicly owned utility is expecting a roughly $43 million revenue increase this year. Some $25 million will come through base rates. Another $18 million will be collected from customers to help Pittsburgh Water pay back loans from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority.
These low-interest loans are critical to funding expensive but necessary work, like lead line replacement. Borrowing costs will be listed as a separate charge for the first time next month.
The new rates and, for some, expanded discounts come as part of a settlement finalized Thursday with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The deal averts larger hikes sought by Pittsburgh Water.
In June, the utility filed a rate increase request with the commission of more than $84 million over two years, split between hikes of nearly $64 million in 2026 and almost $21 million in 2027. The additional money would fund an ongoing “once in a generation effort” to replace antiquated systems, Pittsburgh Water said in its filing.
Pittsburgh Water withdrew its 2027 request in the settlement.
The utility manages wastewater and stormwater flows for the entire city, and drinking water to most of it, plus Millvale and slivers of Blawnox, O’Hara and Reserve.
It also maintains sewer pipes for parts of 24 communities surrounding the city. Pittsburgh Water transports, but does not treat wastewater.
Many of Pittsburgh’s southern and western neighborhoods as well as East Hills get their drinking water from Pennsylvania American Water.
Discount program rates
For customers at or below 50% of the federal poverty line, monthly bills will creep up to $21.01 from $20.88, or less than 1%.
Those making between 51% and 100% of the federal poverty line will pay $42.51 per month, down from $49.94 and marking a 15% savings.
Customers in the 101% to 200% range will see costs rise to $50.77 from $49.94, or almost 2%.
