Customers Face Water Increase as Veolia Plans Infrastructure Improvements

Customers Face Increase as Veolia Plans Infrastructure Improvements

Veolia, which provides water for 300,000 people in Rockland, plans to spend $473 million to enhance water service, though consumers can expect to be the ones to pay for it.

The company filed its plan with the New York State Public Service Commission. The plan would allow the replacement of nearly $300 million worth of infrastructure, such as water mains, service lines and hydrants. Besides Rockland, Veolia also provides water to parts of Westchester, Orange, Putnam and Tioga counties.

Veolia said the $473 million plan, represents an average investment of approximately $4,000 per customers. The average residential water bill in Rockland would increase 19 cents per day or $5.64 a month. Veolia’s proposal must be approved by the PSC.

A low-income discount, funded with $1.5 million, has been proposed. Veolia said it will contribute $4 million to help lessen the impact of rate adjustments for all its New York customers.

As part of the improvement plan, Veolia said it will continue to work on its $47 million treatment upgrade at the Lake DeForest Water Treatment Plan in Clarkstown. They will also be spending $20 million to replace production wells in Rockland.

Veolia said they will spend over $180 million to replace water mains and more than $115 million to replace underground infrastructure. The company said $11 million will be spent on safety and security.

“Affordability for all our customers is a chief concern,” Karine Rouge, CEO of Veolia’s North America’s Municipal Water division, said. “Water is an essential resource, and we must do our part to help those who need it most.”