Friday, April 19, 2024
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program is a federal-state partnership to help ensure safe drinking water. Created by amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1996, the program provides financial support to water systems and to state safe water programs.
-- Courtesy of the EPA
A deal reached between New York American Water and the state Public Service Commission on Aug. 18 will allow South Shore ratepayers to receive credits on future water bills, after they recently skyrocketed. Ratepayers in Sea Cliff were refunded a similar credit of $68 each earlier this year, after a PSC report revealed that those customers were collectively overcharged $282,000.
“We are fully committed to addressing the concerns of our customers, and this agreement will help provide prompt rate relief,” NYAW Deputy Chief Operating Officer William Varley said in a prepared statement. “We will continue to review every high bill complaint we have received.”
The deal also mandates the appointment of an independent monitor who will review NYAW’s controls and processes “in an effort to help restore customer confidence,” the company said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo reportedly helped broker the agreement between NYAW and the PSC, and previously referred the matter to state Attorney General Barbara Underwood. On July 31, a spokeswoman for state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said his office was reviewing “some issues” related to NYAW.
The agreement came after hundreds of NYAW ratepayers complained that their bills had more than doubled, despite their efforts to conserve water. During a town hall hosted by NYAW and elected officials in East Rockaway on Aug. 9, Varley admitted that customers could use less water than in previous years and still pay more under the new system.
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