News release from the City of Fort Wayne:
Statement of Mayor Tom Henry on the Aqua Indiana Rate Increase on Customers in Southwest Fort Wayne
The rate increases announced today for southwest Fort Wayne customers of Aqua Indiana are neither fair nor right. The 7.2% rate increase for drinking water and 8.4% rate increase for sewage services place too high a burden on Fort Wayne residents. This rate spike is especially onerous in light of the numerous complaints regarding Aqua Indiana’s services, including 20 separate petitions from neighborhood associations representing more than 1,300 households.
As Mayor, my responsibility is to ensure that the people of Fort Wayne receive the high-quality, cost-effective services they have a right to expect – for years that has not happened with Aqua Indiana. Today, I stand in unity with the citizens of southwestern Fort Wayne to decry these rate increases.
Aqua Indiana has imposed six rate hikes in less than three years. With these increases, Aqua Indiana customers will now pay approximately 400 to 500 dollars more per year than what is paid by the average City Utilities’ customer for similar services. And even with the price spikes, the quality of service will still not match City Utilities.
Today’s news is harmful to residents and businesses, and it puts a chill on economic growth.
That is why I am standing with the residents of southwest Fort Wayne in their fight against this unfair and unjust rate increase. I will work with them in efforts to scale back or eliminate this excessive new burden.
All residents of Fort Wayne deserve high-quality, dependable utility services at fair, competitive prices. I will champion the people of southwest Fort Wayne in their fight.
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Mayor Tom has the moral outrage part down pretty well. Now, just how will he make this go away? Says he is “standing with the residents of southwest Fort Wayne in their fight”. That’s great, now deliver the results. Leadership requires concrete action, not more talk.
Nothing will change until Fort Wayne leadership decides to buyout Aqua Source for the Southwest side like they did for the Northwest side. I do not understand why we have to pay almost double what Fort Wayne City Utility residence do for a product and service that is not as good. Actions speak loader than words so we will soon see what the Mayor’s true postion is.