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Community Corner

Upper Macungie Water Rates Rising April 1

Lehigh County Authority increases fees for the first time in 10 years.

Residential water customers of Lehigh County Authority, including those in Upper Macungie Township, Trexlertown, Fogelsville and Breinigsville, will see their rates rise about 5.8 percent on April 1. 

The typical homeowner will pay a quarterly bill of $48.96, up from $46.26, or an additional $2.70. Commercial and industrial customers who use more water with see bigger rate hikes, according to the authority.

Lehigh County Authority provides water service in the townships of  Upper Macungie, Lower Macungie, South Whitehall, Salisbury, North Whitehall,  Upper Milford, Lower Milford, Lynn, Heidelberg, Lowhill, Weisenberg, Washington and Moore in Northampton County.

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“We haven’t had a rate increase in 10 years,” said Liesel Adam, communications director for the authority. “Certainly costs have gone up.”

Over the last decade, the authority has absorbed higher costs for chemicals that treat the water and electricity, plus investments in new projects and expenses from new government regulations, according to the authority.

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The rate increase affects the volume of water a customer uses. The current charge per 1,000 gallons is $1.92 for up to 120,000 gallons per quarter. The charge as of April 1 is $2.07 per 1,000 gallons. A fixed charge of $11.70 for residential customers stays the same.

Residential customers in the Buss Acres section of Upper Milford, Welshtown Road in Washington Township and and Madison Park North Division in New Tripoli won’t see their rates rise. Those areas already pay larger water bills because of agreements with municipalities or prior system owners, according to the authority. 

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