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Can rate adjustments be deferred?

| FAQ

Prince William Water deferred rate adjustments during the Coronavirus 19 Pandemic. Further deferring necessary rate adjustments could require Prince William Water to postpone necessary infrastructure replacement projects. Additionally, keeping rates artificially low results in higher rate increases in the future when Prince William Water would be required to catch up with deferred infrastructure replacements.  

Why do rates vary by jurisdiction?

| FAQ

Each water and sewer utility sets its rates based on its own priorities, operating environment, and capital needs.  Decisions about the timing of maintenance and infrastructure replacement are based on the utility’s unique system needs, customer requirements, regulatory requirements, and available resources.  

Prince William Water is careful to ensure its rates are competitive with surrounding jurisdictions while making the investments necessary to provide clean and safe drinking water to its customers and protecting the environment. Through these efforts, Prince William Water’s rates remain among the lowest in the region.

Why are periodic rate increases necessary?

| FAQ

Prince William Water’s goal is to set fair and equitable rates and fees while providing clean, safe drinking water to its customers and protecting the environment. A key element of providing clean drinking water and protecting the environment is ensuring that Prince William Water’s infrastructure is maintained and in good working condition.  This requires a significant capital investment every year. The most recent factors impacting rate increases are capital replacement needs; the rising cost of construction; and increases in purchased water, purchased water reclamation services and other operating costs.  

Prince William Water purchases most of its drinking water from advanced water treatment plants owned and operated by Fairfax Water. Wholesale water rates charged by Fairfax Water have increased significantly over the past few years.  

Wastewater in western areas of Prince William County is treated at the Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA) Water Reclamation Plant, and wastewater in the eastern areas of Prince William County is treated at the H.L. Mooney Advanced Water Reclamation Facility. Both facilities are among the most advanced water reclamation facilities in the country. Recently, wastewater treatment costs at both treatment plants have also increased considerably. 

In addition, Prince William Water sets rates so that we can properly maintain our infrastructure, meet or exceed environmental regulations, and continue delivering the quality and reliability our customers expect from us.

How does Prince William Water set rates?

| FAQ

Prince William Water sets its rates based on a cost-of-service model.  An independent financial consultant, Stantec Consultants, Inc., conducted a rate study for Prince William Water and recommended an adjustment to the rates. Prince William Water’s Board of Directors has approved new rates and fees effective January 1, 2025.  For more information on how we set rates, visit our 'Water Rates Information' page.

Prince William Water’s Wastewater Facility Earns 15th Consecutive National Regulatory Compliance Award

| Press Release
Date Posted:
August 13, 2024

WOODBRIDGE, VA, August 6, 2024 — For the 15th consecutive year, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) has presented Prince William Water’s H.L. Mooney Advanced Water Reclamation Facility (Mooney AWRF) with its Platinum 15 Peak Performance Award. The prestigious award recognizes Mooney AWRF’s 100 percent compliance with federal and state wastewater environmental treatment standards. 

Trick or Treatment

| Event Special Event

A spooky-themed event for the whole family!

Do data centers use water for cooling?

| FAQ

Data center developers and operators use different cooling technology – water cooled or air cooled – based on several proprietary factors. The decision about which cooling technology is used is owner-determined and project-specific. 

Has Prince William Water explored water re-use as an alternative to reduce reliance on potable water for cooling?

| FAQ

As part of the Master Plan Addendum, Prince William Water explored the feasibility of a water re-use program for the Digital Gateway. While the study did not indicate that water re-use is viable for the Digital Gateway, this does not preclude considering water re-use for other projects.

As demand for water capacity grows, will Prince William Water have to issue a moratorium on approving new connections?

| FAQ

No, Prince William Water has a strong and efficient planning process to monitor water capacity, use and timing of future demand to plan for purchasing additional water capacity. Prince William Water’s planning aligns with the Prince William County Comprehensive Plan and relevant land use policies. Additional purchased capacity must be timed in coordination with required infrastructure improvements for both Prince William Water and Fairfax Water, since purchasing additional capacity and delivering more drinking water may require infrastructure improvements.