A water company that serves 300,000 residents of Rockland and Orange Counties has agreed to a modified rate hike plan approved by the New York state Public Service Commission.
Suez Water New York agreed to the plan in time for it to go to into effect February 1. The rate increase is lower than what Suez initially proposed. The average residential customer will see an average monthly increase of $0.51 a month, or 0.8 percent. The PSC Tuesday approved a modified rate hike over three years, cutting $960,000 from Suez Water’s $5 million proposal. The plan allows for Suez to recoup some $31 million for a scuttled desalination plant, $8.2 million less than originally proposed, money local officials say should not fall to the ratepayers. The plan also contains a conservation program.