WSSC Testifies to Smaller Class-based Infrastructure Fee for Some Residential Customers

House Bill 1168 would permit the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission to establish customer classes based on meter size, enabling WSSC to charge fixed fees that differ for residential and commercial customers even if they have the same meter size.

Mpanda Musonda Langley, WSSC deputy customer-service director, told the committee that the bill was amended to limit the commission's authority to distinguishing fixed fees between residential and commercial customers of the same meter size rather than broad customer classes. Langley said the change would permit WSSC to reclassify residential customers with 1.5-inch meters so they are charged the same infrastructure investment fee (IIF) as residential customers with 1-inch meters.

Langley explained the current disparity: customers with 1.5-inch meters currently pay $169 quarterly in IIF, while residential customers with 1-inch meters pay $26 quarterly. She said reclassifying residential 1.5-inch-meter customers to the residential class would provide an annual savings of approximately $560 per household. WSSC said it would not raise other customers' rates to offset the reduction.

Kenneth Simons, WSSC government affairs manager, attended to answer technical questions. Delegate Jeffrey Long, who presented the bill on behalf of the Prince George's County delegation, asked the committee for a favorable report. No vote was taken at the conclusion of the hearing.

Supporters framed the amendment as a narrowly targeted change to restore equitable treatment among residential customers who happen to have larger meters because of specific property circumstances.