Philadelphia Water bills going up, but not as much as originally proposed

An independent board set the water & sewer rates for the next two years.

Philadelphia Water, Sewer and Storm Water Rate Board, an independent board that sets rates, announced that its rate has been finalized for the next two fiscal years of 2022 and 2023.

The original rate increases were reduced by 60% from the original proposal, but will still be going up.

For a typical residential customer using 500 cubic feet of water per month, the monthly water, sewer and stormwater bill would increase from $66.73 to $69.15 on September 1, 2021, and to $73.58 on September 1, 2022. The rate increase for the second year could just be reduced if through another proceeding.

Philadelphia Water provided extended moratoriums on water shutoffs and had a reduced amount of revenue collection due to the pandemic. Philadelphia Water used emergency funds to continue operations.

You can read the long-winded rate determination memo here.

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia.