Water rate hike may sprinkle down to U.

An anticipated increase in water prices may have a slight ripple effect on the University's own water bill, officials said this week. Deputy Water Commissioner Dean Kaplan said that the University, which recieves a 25 percent discount on water rates, would be affected by the expected seven-percent increase. The University, which currently spends $275,000 a year for water in the dormitories, would likely pass on part of the increased cost to students living on campus, according to Residential Maintenance Director Lynn Horner. "Certainly, the utilities bill that we have to pay for the residents would go up to that extent," Horner said. But Deputy Budget Director Ben Hoyle said that the increase will not dramatically affect students. "Even if it [the water rates] were to go up seven percent for us, you're not talking about a whole lot across the University," Hoyle said. Hoyle stressed that the University plans for "inflation plus some degree of additional consumption." The Water Department has not yet made a final decision on the amount of the increase. Andre Washington, an independent examiner, recommended a seven-percent increase fiscal year 1994, and an increase tied to inflation for the two years after that. Mayor Ed Rendell has endorsed Washington's recommendations. At-Large Councilmember Happy Fernandez, chairperson of the Transportation and Public Utilities Committee, said she also supports the seven-percent rise. "That's certainly better than 24 percent where people were outraged," she said. "What we want to do is to continue to work with the Water Department, so that they will not have to come back and ask for an [additional] increase." Fernandez said that she thought the fees were being pushed up because large numbers of Philadelphians have not paid their water bills, adding that the department should make up for lost revenue by tracking down delinquent consumers. "We have been working with the Water Department to urge them to find ways to go after people who have the money and are not paying," Fernandez said. Kaplan said that there are many reasons that a rate hike is needed. High on his list are delinquent customers. "Our debt service is going up this year by about $25 million, and next year by $12 million," he said. Kaplan also said that increased electrical and environmental costs have driven up the Water Department's expenditures. Last year, the Philadelphia Water Department recommended a 20 percent increase for this year.