The Florida Public Service Commission this week voted to grant an interim rate increase for the water company on St. George Island.
The interim rate increase will allow Water Management Services to raise rates by about 8.3 percent, but the company is asking for much more than that.
A hearing will be held later this year to allow Water Management that could allow the company to increase its water operating revenues by nearly 650 thousand dollars.
Franklin County commissioners have filed a letter of opposition to the increase claiming that a rate increase would pose an unnecessary burden on water customers but Water Management says the increase is needed.
It lost nearly 24 thousand dollars last year and has not had a full blown rate increase since 1994.
The water company said it also needs to increase rates to make up for a loss of water consumption caused by the increased use of shallow water wells on St. George Island and the decrease in revenue because of the drop in tourism on the island.
The money raised through the interim rate increase will have to placed in an escrow account until a hearing on the final rate increase is completed.
The money could be refunded to water customers depending on the outcome of the formal hearing process.
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