Philadelphia residents are about to see another increase in a basic household cost.
A 7.5% rate hike in water bills will add about $7 to the average monthly bill, bringing a typical residential total to roughly $96.16. In a city where everyday expenses are high, that increase will likely put more pressure on many households.
Here's what to know
The Philadelphia Water Department said higher participation in the city's Tiered Assistance Program accounts for part of the increase, as WHYY reported. The program lets lower-income residents pay based on their income.
The station noted the rest of the change is tied to previously approved rate hikes and the growing cost of maintaining and upgrading the city's water, wastewater, and sewer systems.
Those projects are paid for almost entirely by customers, said Paul Fugazzotto, an assistant deputy commissioner for communications and customer information at the water department.
"Customers are our primary, and essentially, sole source of income for all of the work that we do," he told WHYY.
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The department said about 27% of the average $6.74 monthly increase is connected to expanded enrollment in the assistance program. 70,000 people are enrolled, a number that has grown through automatic enrollment for qualifying residents and direct outreach by the city's Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity.
More background
Philadelphia's increase comes amid a larger problem of aging water infrastructure across the United States, as WHYY detailed. EPA estimates say stormwater and wastewater projects alone will require at least $630 billion over the next 20 years, and the total climbs above $1 trillion when drinking water upgrades are included.
Utilities are also facing added costs for PFAS removal, cuts to wastewater discharges, and replacing lead pipes, the station reported.
Robert Ballenger, an attorney with Community Legal Services, said that lack of funding support is a major issue.
"The unfortunate part of it is that there is not enough of an investment at a federal governmental level to help the communities who are being tasked with achieving those important policy goals, and the consequence is that we're being asked to pay for more and more through our water bills," he explained to WHYY.
Affordability is a challenge. The EPA said in 2024 that 12.1 million to 19.2 million households nationwide had trouble paying water bills, and the water department testified at a June City Council hearing that roughly 2,000 households lose service each year, per the outlet.
What's being done?
The water department said the Tiered Assistance Program is helping cut the number of residents who fall behind on payments, according to WHYY. In 2019, 25,000 people faced possible shutoff over unpaid bills. The department said overdue notices are down about 80%, which it attributes to assistance programs and better TAP access.
For customers struggling to pay, the department recommends applying through the city's single application system, which is meant to connect households with the most affordable option. Ballenger also said residents should monitor the water use shown on their bills.
"I believe that there should be more and more diverse funding available to help water and wastewater utilities and the communities they serve to avoid seeing those costs reflected in our water bills," Ballenger said.
Where can I learn more?
Philadelphia isn't alone. Water utilities around the country are raising rates as they deal with aging infrastructure, treatment mandates, and growing affordability concerns. Communities in Virginia, St. Louis, Illinois, Delaware, and California show how those pressures are landing on households far beyond the City of Brotherly Love.
• Virginia American Water sought a nearly 30% increase as residents pushed back.
• In St. Louis, Missouri, officials warned water bills set to surge 90% to stabilize the city system.
• In Illinois, major private utilities pursued water and sewer rate hikes amid a proposed merger.
• In Delaware, PFAS treatment costs sparked public warning over sky-high bills and demands for outside funding.
• In California, one homeowner learned summer tiers drove it higher even after sharply cutting usage.
The pattern is hard to miss. Water costs can rise fast when infrastructure demands and policy goals outstrip public funding.
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