WATER SYSTEM UPGRADES
Our customers count on us to provide safe, reliable water service. By continually upgrading our infrastructure, we plan to keep it that way. Think of it as your water bill at work—right in your own neighborhood. Over the past few years, we’ve dramatically accelerated our water main replacement program. Today, we’re investing at about a 100-year replacement rate.
It’s no secret that much of the water infrastructure across the country is aging and in need of repair or replacement. Our engineering and operations teams work closely to identify problem areas and put plans into action to upgrade our systems and infrastructure. These projects benefit our customers through enhanced service reliability, water quality and fire protection.
Click the map below to see how we're putting your water bill to work in 2019.
About the Distribution System Improvement Charge (DSIC)
A Distribution System Improvement Charge (DSIC) is a small surcharge on top of current water rates to cover the cost of certain water infrastructure replacement and reliability projects that the Public Service Commission determined to be appropriate and in the public interest. A DSIC allows for up-front PSC review and approval of our compmany’s proposed infrastructure replacement and reliability projects each year, and then provides a way for all customers, who ultimately benefit from these investments, to make very small payments toward them each month.
In 2018, customers paid a 3.15 percent surcharge on their monthly bills to help fund water system improvements. This amount translates to approximately $1.50 for the average residential customer’s monthly water bill.
Why capital investments are so important
According to the 2017 Report Card by the American Society of Civil Engineers, West Virginia has $1.16 billion in drinking water infrastructure needs and $3.26 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs over the next 20 years. We are jeopardizing our quality of life today and for future generations if we fail to properly maintain this vital infrastructure. That’s why West Virginia American Water, with an approximately 4,200-mile network of water and sewer main across the state, proactively replaces aging pipe and upgrades our facilities to continue to deliver reliable service, high-quality water and fire protection.