State Representative Napoleon Nelson, who serves Cheltenham, Jenkintown and Springfield, announced today that he attended a budget hearing in Harrisburg with the PA Public Utility Commission (PUC) earlier this week to learn more about their work regulating the state’s utility companies.

He said he also shared concerns regarding the recent rate increases seen by Cheltenham Township residents following the Commission’s unanimous vote in favor of Aqua’s proposed hikes in February.

Nelson and and Senator Art Haywood previously co-authored a letter to the PUC “urging the Commissioners to modify Aqua’s proposal and adopt a more reasonable rate structure to reduce the immediate financial burden on local residents.”

“This is the second wastewater rate increase Cheltenham residents have endured since 2022, which then doubled the amount customers were paying five years prior to Aqua’s purchase of the municipal water and wastewater systems,” Rep Nelson said in a post. “The story residents are being told when facing these increases is that utility companies need to recoup the losses incurred during the rehabilitation and replacement of purchased infrastructure.”

Nelson said he is demanding utility companies provide “tangible infrastructure improvements” to go along with the rate hikes.

“Furthermore, I implore the PUC to ensure any approved rate increases are commensurate with the utility company’s investment in any given municipality’s water or sewer system,” he wrote. “It’s a matter of fairness, and I will continue to advocate on behalf of neighbors for just that.”

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Photo: Rep Napoleon Nelson