Twelve Oaks, Other Subdivisions Want to Fight Proposed Water Rate Hike

Hundreds of Twelve Oaks residents are objecting to a proposed rate hike by the utility company that bought out their original company.

Twelve Oaks Utilities was sold to Great River Utility Operating Company last year when the Great River purchased 26 water and wastewater systems in Mississippi. The company also purchases The Lakes in Oxford and Wellsgate.

Half of the Twelve Oaks subdivision is on Great River for water services and all of Twelve Oaks is under Great River for wastewater and sewage utilities.

About two weeks ago, customers of Great River received emails that Great River was asking the Mississippi Public Service Commission to approve a rate increase for wastewater services from $14 to $54 – an almost 400% increase. Residents were also informed that Great River intends to raise the rate for water service from $14 to $47.21.

“I don’t think the average family is going to be able to go from paying $168 a year to $624 a year,” said Twelve Oaks resident Katie Griffin.

Griffin said a lot of residents were also upset that the letters were written July 25, postmarked Aug. 9 and gave residents just 20 days to file their dissent with the rate hikes. The deadline, according to the letters was Sept. 1.

PSC for the Northern District Brandon Presley said the letters to the customers were just letters of intent and that there is a multi-level process to get a hike in rates approved.

A consultant has been hired to review whether Great River’s request for the rate increases is warranted.”It’s just their initial request,” Presley said. “Nothing has been approved and the case will take a while.”

Customers can email their objections, concerns and questions to Katherine.coller@psc.ms.gov.