April 26, 2022
Spring Hydrant Flushing
The Kennebec Water District will perform routine maintenance of the water system by opening fire hydrants May 2 through June 3, 2022. This work improves water quality by flushing sediment out of the water lines. Your drinking water may be discolored during this period. If any discoloration persists more than 24 hours, please call the Kennebec Water District office at 872-2763.
Public Hearing on Proposed Water Rate Changes
When: Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Time: 7:00pm
Where: Fairfield Community Center – 61 Water Street, Fairfield, Maine.
Remote: The public hearing can also be viewed remotely at: https://vimeo.com/698996576 and on the local Spectrum cable channel 1301. (Remote attendees will only be able to view the hearing. No remote participation.)
Attention Customers:
You are invited to attend a May 18, 2022, public hearing to learn more about our proposed water rate changes, which will be effective July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023. KWD strives to maintain reasonable rates while maintaining a focus on high water quality. Rising operating costs and needed critical infrastructure investments have made these proposed rate increases essential to continue reliably supplying safe drinking water.
The proposed rate changes will increase water rates as follows:
Effective Date | Minimum Charge Increase Quarterly* | Minimum Charge Increase Monthly | Increase in Water Usage Rate (per 100 cubic feet – 748 gallons) | Percent Increase |
July 1, 2022 | $5.41 | $1.80 | $0.14 | 8 |
July 1, 2023 | $5.85 | $1.95 | $0.15 | 8 |
*Most customers are billed quarterly.
The rate change will be the same for all customer classes including public and private fire protection.
The current rates have been in effect since April 1, 2018. The proposed rates provide an increased annual revenue of approximately $438,074 (8.0 percent – starting July 1, 2022) and $473,121 (8.0 percent – starting July 1, 2023) to fund the following important needs:
- Replacing aging infrastructure
- Increasing operations and maintenance costs
- Construction of new administration and operations facilities
If you have any questions or want more information, you may contact Roger Crouse, KWD General Manager, by phone at (207) 872-2763 or by e-mail at rcrouse@kennebecwater.org. You may also contact the Public Utilities Commission by phone at (207) 287-3831 or the Office of the Public Advocate by phone at (207) 624-3687 to ask about water rates.
Finally, we appreciate you, our valued customer, for your continued confidence in our ability to deliver high quality water around the clock, and our dedicated team of professionals for their hard work operating and maintaining our complex water treatment and distribution systems to make it happen.
Yours for safe drinking water,
KWD Board of Trustees
Customer Rights
Pursuant to 35-A MRS Section 6104, a customer has the right to request additional information relating to the present and proposed rates from KWD, the right to an open and fair hearing, and the right to assistance from the Public Advocate.
Customers also have the right to petition the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to suspend and investigate KWD’s rates pursuant to 35-A MRS Section 310, if, on or before thirty (30) days following the public hearing, 15% of the District’s customers (or 1,000 customers, whichever is less), file with KWD’s General Manager and with the PUC, c/o Administrative Director, 18 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0018, a petition or petitions demanding review by the PUC of the proposed rate changes. Signatures on the petitions filed pursuant to Section 7 are invalid unless accompanied by the printed names and addresses of the signers. Upon request KWD will provide customers with petition forms that include space for the signatures, printed names and addresses of the signers.
Material supporting the proposed rate increase is available for inspection on this page or at KWD’s office at 6 Cool Street in Waterville, Maine. If you have any questions or desire additional information, you may call Roger Crouse, General Manager, at (207) 872-2763, or the Administrative Director of the PUC at (207) 287-3831.
For additional information or other assistance, contact the Office of The Public Advocate, 112 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0112, (207) 624-3687. KWD’s initial rate filing with the PUC can be found here.