Notice: Public Utility Commission to Examine Proposed Rate Increases by Pennsylvania American Water Company

The Pennsylvania Utility Commission (PUC) is currently investigating Pennsylvania American Water Company’s (PAWC) proposed rate increases for 2026. If your home is serviced by PAWC for water or wastewater services, you may have received a physical notice of such proposed rate increase in June and again in November or December. However, due to some PAWC customers not receiving a written notice, Collier Township wishes to keep its residents informed and has provided additional resources below for residents to review to see how any proposed rate changes may affect them.

What is the PUC, what do they do, and what are they working on with PAWC?
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is a state-established commission that balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner. The PUC voted 5-0 to investigate PAWC’s proposed overall increase of $168.7 million (approximately 14.6%) in total annual operating revenues for water and wastewater service. Based on the action taken on December 4th, 2025, by the PUC, the rate increase request is now suspended for up to seven months from the proposed effective date of Jan. 13, 2026, and hearings will be conducted to confirm the reasonable use of rate increases. To learn more about the PUC and the proposed rate changes by PAWC, visit the posting on the PUC’s website at PUC to Investigate PA American Water’s Rate Increase Request for Water and Wastewater Service | PA PUC.

How does this affect you?
PAWC’s proposed rate increase, if approved, means that your water or wastewater bill would become more expensive in 2026. Specific rate changes may vary based on your service location, and rates will differ for customers using PAWC’s water services, wastewater services, or a combined service. Check out PAWC’s website for more information on water and wastewater rates, how these rates are determined, and how the PUC works with PAWC to ensure fairly applied rates, at Your Water and Wastewater Rates.

What happens next?
In addition to its own investigation to determine the fairness of the requested rates, the PUC will also conduct five days of Public Input Hearings concerning the general rate increase requests filed by Pennsylvania-American Water Company. To see when in-person and telephonic hearings will be held and how you can attend, view, or participate, please use this link (1907331.pdf) to see the published Public Hearings Input Notice. Your input is important, and the PUC welcomes your feedback concerning these rate changes.