PURA approves 9.9% WICA surcharge for Connecticut Water, effective April 1

Interim Chairman Tom Wheel and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority approved a water infrastructure conservation adjustment (WICA) for Connecticut Water Company on March 25, 2026, authorizing a cumulative surcharge of 9.9% to take effect April 1, 2026.

Authority staff member Janelle McGregor told commissioners that Connecticut Water submitted a semi-annual WICA filing on Jan. 26, 2026, proposing 21 new projects (project numbers 637–660) as WICA-eligible. The record lists the total cost for the 21 completed projects as 25,746,019; staff calculated an incremental WICA adjustment of 2.43% and a cumulative surcharge of 9.9%.

McGregor explained that statutory limits restrict WICA charges to no more than 10% of a water company’s annual retail revenues between general rate cases and no more than 5% of those revenues in any 12-month period. The authority’s initial calculation produced a 10.2% figure that would have exceeded the 10% cap. To comply with the statutory limits, Connecticut Water reduced its requested adjustment by 0.306 percentage points, yielding a 12-month adjustment that conforms to the 5% cap and a between-rate-case surcharge of 9.9%.

A motion to adopt the staff-recommended decision was made and seconded. After roll call, the commissioners recorded votes in favor and the authority adopted the WICA decision for docket 23-08-32-WI-06.

The decision authorizes Connecticut Water to include the approved costs in the WICA calculation; staff noted the authority will continue to examine these projects in the company’s next general rate case. The staff presentation did not list the mover or seconder by name in the transcript.

The authority’s action affects Connecticut Water customers by changing the company’s surcharge structure beginning April 1, 2026; the decision notes compliance with statutory caps and that further examination will occur in the upcoming rate case.