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Rockland County Executive Day Opposes Water Rate Increase

ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y. -- Rockland County Executive Ed Day recently expressed his outrage regarding a request from Suez New York to raise water rates by more than 18 percent. 

Ed Day

Ed Day

Photo Credit: Rockland County Government

"An 18.7 percent rate hike is an unconscionable request," Day said.

Day added his voice of discontent at a public hearing Thursday at Rockland Community College.

Suez New York is asking the state's Public Service Commission to require Rockland rate payers to reimburse the company $54 million for the costs of the planned desalination plant in Haverstraw that was never built. 

Under Suez's proposal, Rockland customers would pay the costs over 20 years, with bills possibly increasing nearly $100 a year for property owners. The total cost would be $110 million. 

"Suez should not be allowed to recover these costs nor make a profit by tacking on 20 years of interest on to the cost of their failed plan," Day said.

Day also said the Public Service Commission shared blame for the failed project's costs, and Rockland County will submit written testimony detailing the county's opposition to Suez's proposal by July 1. 

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