Parkersburg’s proposed sewer-rate rise could push Vienna toward its own utility rate increase

Vienna Utility Board members spent a large portion of their meeting discussing a Parkersburg Utility Board proposal to raise resale sewer rates that Vienna pays for wastewater treatment.

The discussion centered on reporting in a local newspaper that Parkersburg intends a phased increase beginning in 2025 that would raise the current $40.39-per-unit wholesale charge to about $47.53 in the first step and to $48.70 in later years — a roughly 20 percent jump from the baseline cited in the report. Board members said Parkersburg’s change, if adopted, would increase what Vienna pays for treatment and likely require Vienna to raise retail water/sewer rates for local customers to cover higher wholesale bills.

Board members said Vienna is a major Parkersburg customer and that the city’s contract ties Vienna to a percentage…