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Rockland water rate hike cut by state regulators

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Lake DeForest Photo by Rosspilot.com

State regulators cut back on a proposed rate hike for Rockland’s largest water utility in a ruling Tuesday, which included slashing how much the company could recoup from its investment in a failed Hudson water treatment plant.

The state Public Service Commission’s modified plan reduces by about $960,000 a request agreed upon by Suez Water New York and the PSC’s staff, and knocks $8.2 million off the amount Suez can recover from its abandoned Haverstraw desalination project. [Read more…]

Pilot program to address water’s taste, odor

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Dam at Lake DeForest reservoir Journal News file photo

Dam at Lake DeForest reservoir Journal News file photo

“The taste and odor issues associated with some of Rockland’s drinking water in recent months will be addressed in a pilot program conducted by the county’s leading water provider.

Suez New York, which serves around 300,000 customers in Rockland, said this week that the company is launching a pilot program at Lake DeForest that will test and analyze alternative water-treatment techniques, company spokesperson Bill Madden said. [Read more…]

Rockland officials criticize water rate hike plan

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“The Rockland water company’s proposal to raise bills by 17 percent over three years is being criticized by local officials, days before a public hearing.

Suez New York’s attempt to get customers to pay for costs related to its failed Haverstraw desalination plant accounts for 65 percent of the increase — a source of controversy among local activists and officials.

A joint proposal between Suez and the state Public Service Commission staff calls for rate hikes of 5.9 percent in the first year, 5.6 percent in the second year, and 5.3 percent in the third year. [Read more…]

Rockland: Suez proposes nearly 17 percent rate hike

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Rockland’s water company still faces lawsuit against its efforts to recoup $54 million  for desalination plans

“Rockland’s water company has announced a proposal to raise its rates by nearly 17 percent over three years.

The joint proposal with the state Public Service Commission staff would raise rates by 5.9 percent in the first year, 5.6 in the second year, and 5.3 in the third year. This is down from an original request of 13 percent for one year. [Read more…]

Rockland County sues State and Suez

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Photo of Rockland County Executive Ed Day

County Exec Ed Day Press Conference
Photo Ricky Flores/ The Journal News

“Rockland rate-payers are being hosed.”–Ed Day

“Rockland County has taken legal action in state court to try to keep Suez New York water ratepayers from paying the cost of an ill-fated scheme by the utility and two state agencies to build a desalination plant on the Hudson River in Haverstraw.

The legal action claims the state Department of Public Service didn’t verify all of Suez’s expenditures related to the nearly $40 million the company says it spent pursuing the plant, but instead did merely a sample audit of the invoices. [Read more…]

Make Suez pay for leaked water in Rockland

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Letter in The Journal News

Suez New York, which supplies Rockland County homes and businesses with water, is primarily a transporter of water. Suez gets its water free from Rockland County sources; Mother Nature fills up our reservoirs, streams and aquifers with water. .

Consumers pay Suez New York to filter, chemically treat our water, and transport it back to us. So, if there are leaks in the water pipes, consumers pay for the lost filtered, treated and transported water. If we gave our household goods to a transporter (i.e. moving company) to pack and deliver, we would expect to get all items back, not 25 percent of our goods disappearing. Any lost items would be paid for by the moving company. [Read more…]

Who’s carrying water for SUEZ’s rate case?

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Lake DeForest Photo by Rosspilot.com

Lake DeForest Photo by Rosspilot.comy

Letter originally published in Our Town, Wednesday, June 22, 2016
The writer is George Potanovic, Jr. from the Rockland Water Coalition.

I am writing to thank all the Rockland County residents and elected officials who came out in force on June 15 and 16 to speak out against the proposed SUEZ rate hike.
The company is now asking the NYS Public Service Commission to charge Rockland ratepayers an outrageous $54.5 million for expenses it claims United Water paid for the development of its failed Hudson River Desalination Plant—that was not needed, never approved, and never built. This request has revealed a blatant and ongoing lack of financial oversight by the PSC, which has approved millions of dollars of claims for payment that did not indicate services provided, primarily by engineering and legal firms [Read more…]

Water rates meeting

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Water Rates Meeting

Protect your water and say no to $54.5m bailout at this week’s public hearings.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) is holding information sessions and public-statement hearings on Suez Water New York’s new request to increase water rates and add a surcharge to your bill. [Read more…]

PSC Orders Suez to Kill Desalination Plant

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“The state Public Service Commission on Thursday directed Suez, formerly known as United Water New York, to abandon the controversial Haverstraw desalination project. The commission also approved Suez’s plan to avoid the need to draw water from the Hudson River by improving conservation, controlling leaks and finding alternative water sources. [Read more…]

United Water in Rockland, Westchester now named Suez

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“The change is the latest in a progression that has seen Rockland’s major water supplier go from Spring Valley Water to Hackensack Water and then United Water. Suez, which dates from 1858, purchased the company 15 years ago, Madden said. The company has been trying to repair its reputation in Rockland after the state Public Service Commission nixed its plans to build a desalination plant and ordered it to improve its relationship with the community. [Read more…]