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Bangor Water District seeks 10.5% rate increase as billing, repairs strain system
Summary
The Bangor Water District told the council it has filed a 10.5% rate increase with the Maine PUC to bolster capital reserves, cover inflation and cybersecurity costs, and pay for frequent main repairs; the district and the city also discussed a recent billing-software migration that failed to interoperate with the city’s sewer billing, prompting questions about who will pay the extra costs.
Chuck Harris, speaking for the Bangor Water District, told the Bangor City Council the district submitted a 10.5% rate increase to the Maine Public Utilities Commission to strengthen capital funds, cover rising energy and cybersecurity costs, and address operational inflation. "The increase that we have submitted to the PUC is a 10.5% increase," Harris said, and he said the proposal would raise the district’s minimum quarterly bill by $6.84 to $71.95 and move monthly bills roughly into the $20–$24 range. Harris said, if approved by the PUC, the rate would take effect on 04/01/2026.
Why the increase: Harris cited higher energy costs, cost-of-living adjustments, cybersecurity investments and capital projects as primary drivers. He said the district is trying to grow a capital reserve to…
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