Beckley, W.Va. — The Public Service Commission heard testimony Wednesday on Beckley Water Company’s request to raise customer rates, drawing a strong turnout from residents concerned about service quality and rising costs.
The utility is seeking a 22.7% increase, but PSC staff recommended reducing that to about 12%, which would add roughly $4.50 per month to the average residential bill.
Customers who spoke at the hearing pointed to frequent outages, aging infrastructure, and water‑quality issues, urging regulators to deny the full request. Beckley Water officials argued the increase is necessary to address staffing shortages, replace deteriorating lines, and reduce the system’s 25% water loss rate.
More than 22,000 customers would be affected. The PSC will issue a final ruling after reviewing testimony and staff recommendations.
