PURA approves Aquarion Water WICA surcharge to fund pipe replacements

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on Sept. 24 approved Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut's semiannual Water Infrastructure and Conservation Adjustment filing, designating 64 new projects as WICA-eligible and allowing cost recovery for 88 completed projects.

Authority staff told commissioners that Aquarion submitted its semiannual filing on July 31, 2025, asking the authority to designate 64 new projects with an estimated cost of $41,999,928 and to allow cost recovery for 88 completed projects that replaced more than 130,000 feet of pipe at a total cost of $58,626,435. "Consequently, the proposed incremental WICA adjustment is 3.07%," authority staff said.

The decision sets the company's cumulative WICA charge at 7% for most customers and 3.7% or 7.34% for Plainville system customers, the staff presentation said. Authority staff said the surcharge will be effective Oct. 1, 2025, and that the charges conform to the statutory limits: a 5% cap on increases within a 12-month period and a 10% ceiling on cumulative WICA charges.

Commissioner Michael Karen moved to adopt the decision (docket 220701-WI-05); Vice Chairman David Arkanti seconded. The roll call recorded votes of yes from Commissioner Michael Karen and Vice Chairman David Arkanti; the motion passed and the decision was adopted.

The decision authorizes cost recovery only under the terms described in the authority's order; the staff presentation noted the company may use the approved costs to calculate the WICA adjustment and that the surcharge must remain within statutory caps. The authority's order itself (not summarized in full in the meeting transcript) includes conditions and orders referenced by staff.