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Aqua Utilities' Customers Air Water Woes

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By TODD LESKANIC

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 27, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Some Pasco residents served by Aqua Utilities used interesting phrases to describe their water.

Scum, Jell-O-like substance, bleach smell, crusty buildup.

It wasn't exactly a great case for the sizable rate increase the utility has asked the Florida Public Service Commission to levy on its 3,200 Pasco customers.

The commission held a public hearing Friday afternoon to take input on the increase from residents of Jasmine Lakes, Palm Terrace and Zephyr Shores, the three Pasco neighborhoods served by Aqua.

And the 90 or so residents who showed up were more than clear in expressing their sentiments on the proposed increase: No way.

"As far as the quality of the water, again, very, very poor," said Jim Abbott of Zephyr Shores. "Sometimes it's got an odor to it you can't stand. It's got a color you can't tolerate and a taste you can't live with. All these things add up to pure poor service, and I think you need to address it."

The commission is expected to make a final determination on the proposed increases in February. Aqua, which operates water systems in 16 counties, has requested the increase to equalize rates for its systems throughout the state.
Company officials have said the increases are needed "to earn a fair rate of return on its investment and to cover increasing operating costs." The utility has invested more than $10 million statewide to improve aging systems, with more than $675,000 being spent in Pasco.

In Jasmine Lakes, the proposed increase would push a home's base water rate from $9.42 to $21.92 per month, according to numbers provided by the Public Service Commission. In the same neighborhood, base wastewater rates would increase from $11.77 to $45.26.

Residents in Palm Terrace and Zephyr Shores are facing similar increases.

Some residents did the math and realized their bills would jump substantially if the commission approves the rates as proposed. Many of those who attended the hearing are retired and on a fixed income.

"It would be a sacrifice for us to handle the increase, but we probably could handle it," said Zephyr Shores resident Janice Ellis. "But there are people in our community that I know couldn't handle it, and I don't know what people will do when water bills go up that high."

Besides the poor water quality, residents Friday decried the company's poor customer service, unannounced shutoffs and inaccurate billing.

"The greed involved here, to me, I can put Aqua in the same category as the oil companies," said Zephyr Shores resident Charles Burton.

The comment earned applause from the crowd.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084 or tleskanic@tampatrib.com.

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