Lake Wylie Residents Blast Utility

LAKE WYLIE, S.C.,None — Residents of Lake Wylie delivered a consistent message Thursday to the state's Public Service Commission: Deny Carolina Water Service's rate increase request.

The utility wants to raise water rates 80 percent and sewer rates 14 percent. Carolina Water Service said it needs the increase to recover its investment in improving systems and to pay for higher operating costs.

Residents at Thursday's hearing at the River Hills Community Church described the request as "price gouging," "ridiculous," "unjust" and a "crime," and if approved, they would have to juggle budgets, possibly reducing what they spend on groceries or gas for their car to pay their utility bills.

Residents said Carolina Water Service has a history of poor service, ineffective customer service and in some cases, sewage backups into homes caused by poorly maintained main sewer lines.

Pat Duffy of the River Hills neighborhood where many of the utility's customers reside, recalled one instance where raw sewerage spewed from a manhole cover onto the road. A cleanup crew, Duffy said, used water to push the sewage from the road into Lake Wylie.

More than 150 people attended the hearing, one of several public hearings the commission has held throughout the utility's service area.

A final public hearing will be held Sept. 7 in Columbia before the commission begins deliberations on the rate request.

Among those rising in opposition were state Rep. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill, who presented a resolution from the local delegation recommending the commission not increase rates.

Bruce Henderson, the York County councilman who represents the area, called the request "an immoral thing to do."

Charles Wood, president of the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce, said the proposed increase would affect growth and business in the area.

Residents said Carolina Water Service has not made improvements to the Lake Wylie system.

Mike Lloyd, a 4-year resident of River Hills, said all the utility does is "patch, patch and patch."

Wood, who has been a Carolina Water Service customer for 33 years, estimated that he has paid the utility $19,800 over the years.

"All I've seen is routine maintenance," he said. "The only thing I've seen them do is put a 100-watt light bulb at a lift station, and that light burned out two weeks ago. It has not been replaced."

Wood then presented Carolina Water Service's lawyer with a replacement bulb, generating a laugh from everyone.

Duffy told the commissioners of a Christmas day fire in 2006 that destroyed his house. The fire hydrant on his street did not work.

"I'm not saying that would have saved the house, but we might have had some time to save some personnel effects," he said.

While rebuilding the house, Duffy said he received a water bill for $800 - even though the water service was turned off.

Residents encouraged the commission to get separate financial information for the Lake Wylie system and not rely solely on information for all of Carolina Water Service's South Carolina operations.

Carolina Water Service had several of its executives and customer service people at the meeting, ready to discuss residents' problems.

"We are highly concerned about our quality of service," said Patrick Flynn, regional director for Utilities, Inc., the parent company of Carolina Water Service. He said the comments at Thursday's meeting represent "the customers' viewpoint, and that is what's important."

WSOC