SOUTH MILWAUKEE — The Public Service Commission held a public hearing on Tuesday for South Milwaukee's request to raise its water utility rate by around 22%.
South Milwaukee says the increase is to pay for its replacement of aging infrastructure, including a problematic water transmission line and lead service pipes throughout the community.
The city is currently replacing the water transmission line on Michigan Avenue, which has broken six times since 2012. One of those breaks resulted in a boil advisory in 2023, according to the city.
"Look, our block is a mess right now, there's cones everywhere," said Shelly Rosenquist, a Michigan Avenue resident.
Beyond the transmission line, South Milwaukee is also undertaking the replacement of over 1,700 known lead service lines throughout the city.
Watch: State holds public hearing ahead of potential water rate increase for South Milwaukee
Residents have expressed concerns about the financial impact of these necessary infrastructure improvements. The proposed rate increase would significantly affect many households in the community.
"Twenty two percent of anything, that's significant, that's significant," Rosenquist said. "There's a lot of multi-family units in South Milwaukee. It's going to affect a lot of people."
Tuesday's meeting represented the final step before the state makes its decision on the proposed rate hike.
While many residents understand the necessity of replacing dangerous lead pipes, some feel the city could have been more transparent about the long-term financial implications.
"One hundred percent — I don't want lead in the water, I have animals, I have kids, I don't want to drink lead. But of course it's worth it. But some transparency over the initial costs and the long-term costs of this would have been appreciated," Rosenquist said.
Rosenquist worries that even after the projects are completed and paid for, her bills won't decrease to previous levels.
"It's not going to go down. When's the last time they've said, we're going to reduce your bill by 20%? That never happens." Rosenquist said.
The PSC says the decision could be made in the coming weeks.
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