City and county leaders wonder how consumers will be able to swallow yet another rate increase by West Virginia-American Water Co.

Water company officials told the state Public Service Commission they will ask for a rate increase for the company's 166,000 customers sometime after May 30. The proposal comes less than two months after West Virginia-American's last, 15 percent increase.

"It's not good news," Charleston Mayor Danny Jones said Monday. "It's not good news for business, and it's not good news for people who don't have a way to make more money."

Last fall, West Virginia-American asked for a rate increase of nearly 25 percent, but Jones and members of the Kanawha County Commission fought the proposal.

Local officials and the water company eventually reached a compromise for a rate increase of 14.9 percent. The new rate went into effect March 28.

Water company officials recently told members of the County Commission that they would probably be back for another rate increase, but county officials believed it would not come in the near future.

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper called the proposed rate hike "troubling" on Monday, and wondered how consumers would be able to pay the costs of higher gasoline, higher water and higher gas and electricity bills. West Virginians already pay some of the highest water bills in the country.

Jones agreed, wondering how much profit West Virginia-American Water Co. really needs to make.

"I think they ought to be entitled to a profit," he said. "But I wonder, as a monopoly utility, how long this is going to go on."

Jones said local officials can fight the rate increase, but pointed out that the last battle with the water company cost local officials $300,000 in legal fees.

"The legal fees cost them $1 million, but guess who pays the bill?" Jones said. He said legal fees for the water company are just passed on to consumers.

To contact staff writer Rusty Marks, use e-mail or call 348-1215.

City and county leaders wonder how consumers will be able to swallow yet another rate increase by West Virginia-American Water Co.

Water company officials told the state Public Service Commission they will ask for a rate increase for the company's 166,000 customers sometime after May 30. The proposal comes less than two months after West Virginia-American's last, 15 percent increase.

"It's not good news," Charleston Mayor Danny Jones said Monday. "It's not good news for business, and it's not good news for people who don't have a way to make more money."

Last fall, West Virginia-American asked for a rate increase of nearly 25 percent, but Jones and members of the Kanawha County Commission fought the proposal.

Local officials and the water company eventually reached a compromise for a rate increase of 14.9 percent. The new rate went into effect March 28.

Water company officials recently told members of the County Commission that they would probably be back for another rate increase, but county officials believed it would not come in the near future.

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper called the proposed rate hike "troubling" on Monday, and wondered how consumers would be able to pay the costs of higher gasoline, higher water and higher gas and electricity bills. West Virginians already pay some of the highest water bills in the country.

Jones agreed, wondering how much profit West Virginia-American Water Co. really needs to make.

"I think they ought to be entitled to a profit," he said. "But I wonder, as a monopoly utility, how long this is going to go on."

Jones said local officials can fight the rate increase, but pointed out that the last battle with the water company cost local officials $300,000 in legal fees.

"The legal fees cost them $1 million, but guess who pays the bill?" Jones said. He said legal fees for the water company are just passed on to consumers.

To contact staff writer Rusty Marks, use e-mail or call 348-1215.