Residents Are Paying 57% More for Sewer Than Water — This May Violate State Utility Standards
 
Petitioning American Water, Local Officials, and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
Residents in New Cumberland, PA are being charged disproportionately high sewer rates by American Water, raising serious concerns about fairness, transparency, and regulatory compliance.

A real household bill shows:

• Water: $1.8772 per unit
• Sewer: $2.9539 per unit
• 👉 Sewer costs 1.57× more (57% higher)

 
This Is Not Normal — Even Compared to Other Utilities
Across Pennsylvania and nearby municipalities:

• Typical sewer-to-water ratio: 1.1× to 1.3×
• Many municipal systems maintain balanced or near-parity pricing

But under American Water:

• 1.57× higher than water
  👉 Even utilities with higher overall rates do not charge this much more to take water back.

 
Why This Raises Regulatory Concerns
Utilities in Pennsylvania are regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), which requires that all rates be:

• Just and reasonable
• Non-discriminatory
• Based on actual cost of service

Key Concern
Charging 57% more to process the same volume of water raises serious questions:

• Is this pricing reasonable?
• Is it properly justified?
• Are customers being treated fairly compared to nearby areas?
  👉 If not, this structure may fail PUC standards.

The Core Issue
Water is not a one-way product:

• Customers purchase water
• That same water becomes wastewater

Yet:

• They are charged significantly more on the return
   

A Common-Sense Solution: Sewer Buyback Model
We propose a fair alternative:

Treat wastewater as a returned resource — not a second premium charge
Instead of inflating sewer costs, utilities should:

👉 Apply a reduced “buyback rate” for returned water

Why This Model Makes Sense

• It’s the same water customers already paid for
• Wastewater avoids major costs like:
  • Drinking-grade purification
  • Long-distance distribution
• Other industries already use:
  • Recycling credits
  • Energy buyback systems

👉 Returned resources should cost less — not more

Real Impact on Families - Example of a family of four

• Typical bill: $377.60
• Families with basic additions: $500+ bills

This is not excessive usage — this is everyday living.

 
What We Are Asking For
We call on American Water and regulators to:

• Provide full cost justification for sewer pricing
• Align rates with regional norms (1.1×–1.3×)
• Ensure transparent billing practices (metered billing)
• Implement a reduced-rate / buyback model for wastewater
• Protect households from excessive charges

Who This Affects

• Every American Water customer
• Families managing rising utility costs
• Residents across Pennsylvania and beyond

 
Take Action
Sign this petition to demand:

• Fair pricing
• Transparency
• Accountability

Share your bill. Share this petition. Demand answers.

 
Final Thought
Utilities are essential services — not profit centers.

No one should pay 57% more to return water than to receive it.

👉 Sign now to demand fairness and accountability.

Sources and real number comparison found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRXUzVBngfGVN3RtBsz01vgz2WJM4-CSDrhi7b--Y4RRhrVR0CdG4vVGv3muYA-1M1U4m6bTy63EdyH/pub