Customers of Aqua Utilities Florida, including residents of Lake Osborne Estates west of Lake Worth, have complained for years about poor service, billing problems and rates that they say are the highest in the state.

The company, a subsidiary of Bryn Mawr, Pa.-based Aqua America, is seeking a $4.1 million rate hike of 30 percent to 55 percent. The Florida Public Service Commission allowed Aqua to double its rates in 2009.

The PSC is scheduled to vote on the latest rate increase request in February.

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By The Palm Beach Post
Posted: 6:42p.m.Tuesday,Feb.15,2011

Lower the city's electric and water bills, says Lake Worth's mayor. Great idea. If only it were that simple.
Everyone agrees that high utility rates are strangling Lake Worth, but every year it gets harder to start lowering them. "The analogy is like a junkie hooked on drugs," City Manager Susan Stanton says. "You can't just wake up one day and say you're done."
Not when you can't afford rehab. With property-tax revenue plunging, the city depends more than ever on income from its utility, which contributes about $13 million a year. For this fiscal year, Lake Worth's budget for general expenses is $29 million, compared with $48 million in Riviera Beach, a city of roughly the same size.
As it is, Lake Worth expects to make at least $3 million in budget cuts for next year, including layoffs and reduced services. Ms. Stanton says "it would be fantastic" if the city isn't forced to raise utility rates further.
In his State of the City address last week, Mayor Rene Varela called for reducing residential and commercial utility bills, to attract businesses and families. But can Lake Worth afford it? That depends on a knotty bramble of unresolved financial issues: contract negotiations with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the depth of budget cutbacks and a push by Ms. Stanton for a new fire-rescue tax.
Mayor Varela believes that the city can cut enough to lower utility rates by at least 3 percent and perhaps 5 percent. Lake Worth can't go cold turkey on its utility habit, but new businesses and residents would mean more tax collections. Tough as it will be, Lake Worth has to try treatment.

Andrew Marra,
for The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board

By Willie Howard
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Updated: 9:25p.m.Wednesday,Feb.9,2011
Posted: 9:21p.m.Wednesday,Feb.9,2011

LAKE WORTH Despite a projected $4.5 million shortfall for the coming budget year, Mayor Rene Varela said the city needs to wean itself from utility revenue and reduce electric rates during the next six to eight months.
Varela, making his second and final State of the City address Wednesday at the Lake Worth Playhouse, plans to move to Maryland but has promised to complete his two-year term, which ends in November.
Before he leaves Lake Worth, Varela said, he hopes the city commission will begin the process of cutting electric rates by reducing the utility franchise fees that pad the city's general fund.

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 ByWillie Howard

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Posted: 9:19 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010

LAKE WORTH — City commissioners rejected a proposal by Commissioner Scott Maxwell to waive the $11 late fee paid by Lake Worth Utilities customers who fall behind on their bills.Maxwell called the waiver a humanitarian gesture, saying he was concerned about customers who are late paying their bills month after month. He suggested giving customers the option of a different billing cycle to help them meet payment deadlines.

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By Willie Howard

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Posted: 9:38 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010

LAKE WORTH — City commissioners approved water and sewer rates Tuesday that will increase the monthly bill of a typical residential customer by $5.46.

The 11 percent increase in the water rate and the 9.5 percent hike in the sewer rate will take effect Oct. 1.

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August 16, 2010

Scott says: Commission likely decides to use utility profits to rehabilitate Beach Casino Building while disregarding impact on utility customers and ability to balance F 2011 Budget

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August 16, 2010

Commission to hold Special Meeting Monday August 16 at 5:30 PM to Fund Beach Project

Listen to Meeting Here

• City Manager's office fails to provide requested reference material

5/21/10

The City of Lake Worth Utilities, in conjunction with Florida Municipal Power Agency, offers a variety of rebates for their residential customers to save energy and water in their homes.

Rebates are available for the installation of energy efficiency air conditioners, heat pumps, clothes washers, dishwashers, programmable thermostats, refrigerators, and ultra-low flow toilets.

All equipment must be Energy Star rated to qualify for the rebates, except for the toilets, which must be certified under the United States EPA WaterSense program. Some equipment must meet additional energy efficiency standards listed on the program website.

Rebate applications can be found on the program website and must be submitted to the utility, with a copy of the proof of purchase, within 90 days of the equipment purchase date. Rebates will be paid to customer in the form of a credit on customer’s monthly utility bill.

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3/16/10

About 13,000 Lake Worth Utilities customers lost power Tuesday night because of a blown transformer and a downed power line, and at least one resident said it's an all too-familiar occurrence.

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By WILLIE HOWARD

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 6:06 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26, 2010

Posted: 5:53 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26, 2010

LAKE WORTH — After hearing even more complaints about high electric rates from Lake Worth Utilities customers, city commissioners have pledged to take a look closer look at the rates during their Dec. 7 meeting.

They'll also examine the use of power customers' money to pay for general city operations.

"It's dishonorable to charge the rates you're charging," Charles Nefzger, a Palm Springs resident who receives power from Lake Worth Utilities, told city commissioners Nov. 16. "Ladies and gentlemen, you are robbing me."

Nefzger, who has an 1,800-square-foot home with a pool and a family of four, said he pays about $400 a month for power.

Lake Worth Utilities' residential power rates, while slightly above average compared with those of the state's 33 other municipal electric providers, are more than 40 percent higher than what Florida Power & Light charges. Rates for commercial customers using 10,000 kilowatt-hours exceed FPL's rates by more than 75 percent, according to Lake Worth Utilities.

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Lake Worth City Comissioner Scott Maxwell asks Amaika Alcona, 7, if she'd like to have a piece of the ribbon following the dedication of the Lake Worth reverse osmosis water treatment plant Saturday morning. The event was attended by citizens, public officials, city of Lake Worth employees, and clergy. Looking on from behind (from left) are city commissioners Jo-Ann Golden and Christopher McVoy, and city of Lake Worth Utilities Director Rebecca Mattey. (Damon Higgins/The Palm Beach Post)



By Willie Howard

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 4:25 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012

Posted: 4:06 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012

LAKE WORTH — Utilities Director Rebecca Mattey will resign effective May 25, after overseeing the city's water, sewer and electric systems for just over three years.

Mattey, an engineer, said she decided to leave Lake Worth to move closer to her family in the Ocala area.

She earns $135,000 annually and is required to give 60 days notice of her intent to leave the city under her 2010 employment agreement. Acting City Manager Steve Carr signed a modification to Mattey's contract Tuesday that will pay her $72,800 to work nearly three additional months, from March 4 through May 25.

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