'I hate being ripped off:' Aqua NC customers oppose rate increase after years of brown water

Customers of Aqua North Carolina gathered in Raleigh to protest a price increase after years of complaints about water that is often brown and unusable.

It was standing room only as Wake County residents lined up to express their anger at their water provider, Aqua North Carolina., a private utility that serves 250,000 customers in 51 counties statewide, including the area between Interstate 540 and Falls Lake.

“I don’t mind paying for what I’m using, but I hate being ripped off,” customer Rich Vitali said.

Aqua wants to raise its prices, so dozens of residents gathered at a public hearing in Raleigh to tell the Utilities Commission why they shouldn’t be allowed to do so.

Residents complained about customer service and say their water is often brown, making it unusable and damaging to clothing and surfaces.

“I estimate, if I have to sell my house today, I have to spend $2,000 replacing and repairing the damage that their water has done to my house,” Vitali said.

“Me, personally in my family, have been impacted by brown water, approximately the color of iced tea, eight times in a four-and-a-half month span,” customer Becky Daniel said. “I’ve ruined a load of white laundry before. We’re not always able to bathe our son at night. Sometimes we can’t cook the food we were planning to cook because we don’t’ have water.”

Aqua’s president, Shannon Becker, said the 9 percent rate hike is needed because the company hasn’t raised prices in five years. The utility already charges rates higher than Raleigh and other area municipal water suppliers.

“We’re making significant improvements to wastewater treatment plants, main replacements and a tremendous amount of money on filter additions to address water quality issues,” she said. “We do not take rate increases lightly.”

Customers on Monday night said they are frustrated that they have no other choice but to keep using Aqua.

“Aqua, like most utilities in this area, has a monopoly in our service territory, so we don’t have another option,” Daniel said.

The hearing was one of several being held around the state since the proposed hike would affect customers across North Carolina.

Ultimately, the Utilities Commission will decide if Aqua can raise its prices.