PARK FALLS, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – Community members in the Northwoods spoke out today at the Wisconsin Public Service’s public comment session held on Thursday.
Park Falls water utility customers could soon be paying as much as $75 more per quarter, a change that could lead customers reeling.
There are a couple of reasons behind the proposed rate hike. First, the city hasn’t submitted a full rate case check in several years, which could have introduced smaller increases along the way. They also have to make up for the void left by the closure of the paper mill, which was a major customer of the water utility.
“When you have a very large customer like the mill close and not hold up their part of the cost to deliver that water, unfortunately that has to get bored into other customers.” said Mike Sweeney, of Wisconsin PSC.
At Thursday’s public comment meeting, some business owners talked about the impact these rate hikes will have. “I know for myself and other laundromats in the area, we’re going to have to make some difficult decisions.” said Benjamin Fox, Laundromat owner. He said the rate hike will likely deter business, meaning he’d have to raise his prices to survive.
Rates aren’t going up just yet, that will happen when the PSC makes its final decision.
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