Pittsburgh Water bills to rise in March
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Pittsburgh Water will raise bills by an average of 15% starting March 8 for tens of thousands of customers as it continues its decade-long overhaul of the city's aging water system.
Why it matters: The increase is well below the utility's initial proposal to hike rates 33% over two years. The higher rates help to modernize its water network, cover debt obligations and support operations.
By the numbers: The average residential customer using 3,000 gallons per month will see their monthly bill jump by 15% next month, from about $100 to $115, per Pittsburgh Water.
- Industrial customers' average monthly bills will rise by 28%, and commercial customers' by 15.5%.
- In 2024, water rates increased by an average of 13%.
- Pittsburgh Water has about 116,000 accounts in the city and nearby municipalities, serving nearly half a million people.
Yes, but: The roughly 9,000 low-income customers enrolled in Pittsburgh Water's assistance program will see smaller increases — or see decreases — in their bills.
- An average customer earning 50% below the federal poverty line will see their bill rise less than 1%, from $20.88 to $21.01.
- An average customer earning between 51%-100% of the federal poverty line can expect to see a 15% decrease, to $42.51 per month.
- More income breakdowns here.
How it works: The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved the new rates as part of a settlement between Pittsburgh Water and stakeholders that addresses concerns about its impact on low- and middle-income customers.
- Pittsburgh Water also withdrew its request for another rate hike in 2027.
Zoom in: The added revenue — about $25 million a year — will help fund ongoing capital projects, including lead service line removals, new stormwater infrastructure, and rehabilitation of century-old sewer mains.
Flashback: Lead levels in Pittsburgh's tap water fell to a record low late last year, well within federal safety standards — thanks, in part, to the introduction of a food-grade corrosion control additive, a dramatic turnaround from the city's water crisis a decade earlier.
Follow the money: Pittsburgh Water has secured over $911 million in low-interest loans and grants from PENNVEST for capital projects since 2018.
What's next: The utility is on track to replace all residential lead lines in its service area by 2027, building on the nearly 25,000 public and private lines it has replaced over the past decade.