Presenter urges Public Service Commission to reject Liberty Utilities' proposed water rate increase

A presenter outside Liberty Utilities headquarters urged the New York State Public Service Commission to reject a filing by Liberty Utilities that the speaker said would raise water bills for Long Island customers.

The presenter said Liberty filed with the Public Service Commission and quoted figures from that filing, saying the proposal seeks a "revenue increase of 21.87%" for one service area and read a separate figure transcribed as "130.14%" for service area 2. The speaker called the numbers "shocking and unacceptable," and said for many residential customers the proposal could raise monthly water bills "by nearly $30 per month." The presenter added that ratepayers in the Merrick District "could see an increase of approximately 37%" if the proposal is approved.

"Water's not a luxury. It's a basic necessity," the presenter said, criticizing Liberty for asking residents to pay more as other household costs rise. The speaker also raised concern about an additional surcharge request tied to the filing, saying it would further increase customers' bills and demanding transparency and accountability before any rate change is approved.

The presenter called on the Public Service Commission to "stand with ratepayers and reject this request" and urged affected residents to participate in PSC public hearings. The speaker said "The town of Hempstead will continue fighting for residents every step of the way" and noted local officials Dorothy Goosby and Kate Murray as hearing constituent complaints.

There was no response from Liberty Utilities in the transcript. The presenter closed by asking residents to attend hearings and make their voices heard at the PSC process.