Water, sewer, and electric bills in Richlands, Virginia, are reaching amounts residents say they never imagined, with some monthly totals now coming in at $600, $800, or even $1,000.
For people already stretching their budgets to cover food, housing, and other basics, utilities are increasingly threatening household finances, WVVA reported.
Here's what to know
Residents who spoke with the station explained that the combined cost of utilities in Richlands has risen to levels many families cannot keep up with.
Among them was Richlands resident Jackie Earls.
"Now I pay anywhere from $800 to $1,000 a month for water, sewage, and electric," Earls stated. Richlands resident Kim Smith got an electric bill of $500, but with added water and sewer charges, she paid a total of $600.
Residents interviewed by WVVA noted that those bills were closer to $100 to $200 about two decades ago.
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Smith put the frustration plainly.
"You can't afford those prices. I mean, I realize things go up, but you cannot afford to pay $600 for a power bill," she maintained.
Electricity has become the main focus of residents' complaints. Some parts of Richlands get power from AEP Power, but most of the town is served by Richlands Power, where rates have increased by 4 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Town Council member Laura Mollo indicated that the council sets those rates and that higher bills in 2026 are due to debt from a 2023 generator project that cost more than expected.
More background
As for how families are coping, Earls described the reality of the shockingly high bills.
"The more it increases, the less grocery you want to buy, and you just have to balance it out. You know, you have to pay what you can on your electric bill and hope they don't cut you off."
Mollo asserted that operating costs, maintenance, and generator debt shape rate-setting.
Residents, meanwhile, have less room in their budgets for food and other necessities, raising fears of falling further behind.
Mollo also told WVVA that the strain is reaching beyond individual homes, with businesses closing and some residents leaving Richlands because of the mounting costs.
What's being done?
When the council considered a rate increase earlier in 2026, Mollo was the only one of the six council members to vote against it.
She opposed it because she believed the town should solve the root problem instead of shifting the expense directly onto residents.
"I did so because I believe the burden falls on the Town Council to solve the issue, not just to reach our hands out to the citizens and say, we've raised the rate, now you're going to give us more money," Mollo said.
According to Mollo, the town's elected council sets the charges most residents pay through Richlands Power.
She said town elections let residents hold that council accountable as bills continue to reflect costs tied to the 2023 generator project.
"Like I said earlier, this council is who sets the rates, but it is the people of Richlands who set the council, and that is the most important job that you'll have."
Where can I learn more?
Elsewhere in Virginia and across the country, residents face similar pressure from higher utility bills. These articles cover fuel surcharges, water rate increases, and other ways utilities pass infrastructure and energy costs on to customers.
• Virginia households saw an $8 monthly fuel charge from Dominion, plus years of bond interest.
• Across Central Virginia, utility hikes hit homes through higher Dominion, water, and sewer charges.
• In Hopewell and Prince George, a 30% water bill increase alarmed residents and small businesses.
• Utilities nationwide used customer electricity rates to fund major transmission projects, drawing scrutiny.
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