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Aloha Buyer To Discuss Rate Increases

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By KEVIN WIATROWSKI

kwiatrowski@tampatrib.com

Published: November 16, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - The prospective owner of Aloha Utilities will host a public hearing Nov. 24 to discuss new rates for its future customers.

The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the West Pasco Government Center, 7530 Little Road.

The Florida Governmental Utility Authority is in the final stages of acquiring Aloha, the troubled water company that serves customers in the Aloha Gardens and Seven Springs areas of southwest Pasco County.

The $90.5 million purchase is scheduled to close on or before Dec. 23.

County commissioners signed off on the purchase, which has the support of Aloha's customers, last month.

Aloha's customers have been plagued for years by smelly black water from their taps.

In a recent letter to their future customers, FGUA officials spelled out how water and sewer rates will change. In short, they're going up - significantly for customers in Seven Springs, less so for those in Aloha Gardens.

The new rates will rise nearly 60 percent for Seven Springs customers, to a proposed $88.57 for a month of water and sewer services. Aloha Gardens' rates will rise about 6 percent.

In his letter to customers, Aloha's future manager, Robert Sheets, defended the new rates as being about one-third lower than the $140.57 a month Aloha had said it would have had to impose to recoup the cost of planned improvements.

The FGUA has said its improvements for Aloha include tying into the county's public water system over the next two years, decreasing the reliance on wells. At least two of Aloha's wells have been determined to be the source of its tainted water.

The FGUA was created by the state a decade ago to take private utilities public. Its board includes officials from Polk, Lee, Citrus, Hendry and Pasco counties.

Reporter Kevin Wiatrowski can be reached at (813) 948-4201.

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