2024 Water & Sewer Rates – Proposed

Submit Comments to LCA:

  • Comment deadline: December 31, 2023 (4:45 p.m. ET).
  • Email your comments to info@lehighcountyauthority.org, subject 2024 Rates.
  • Speak at an LCA Board meeting: Learn more by visiting our Meetings & Minutes page.
  • Mail in your comments: Lehigh County Authority, PO Box 3348, Allentown, PA 18106

Why are Your Rates Increasing?

LCA is a nonprofit, municipal authority, and 100% of your bill is used to support the operation and maintenance of the public water and sewer system. This includes paying for major system upgrades and replacement of aging pipes, pumps, and treatment equipment – all very important upgrades to protect public health and the environment and provide reliable service to our customers.

The LCA Capital Plan for 2024 includes a substantial increase in spending on necessary plant upgrades and infrastructure improvement projects. The 2024 Budget also includes an increase in overall operating costs to address the impacts of inflation, supply chain challenges, and other cost increases.

Our mission is to protect public health and the environment by providing high-quality, safe, and reliable water and wastewater services. Our Board of Directors are unpaid volunteers, and LCA has no shareholders to pay.

Understanding 2024 Rates

City of Allentown Division

LCA operates the City of Allentown’s water and sewer systems under the terms of a Lease Agreement with the City, which includes details about how your rates are increased each year. As a result, the Allentown Division rates will increase in 2024, depending on customer usage and meter size. Specific details regarding rate changes are available here: City Rate Details

What does it mean? Below is a billing sample for a typical residential customer with a 5/8″ meter using 15,000 gallons of water. The total customer impact in this example is $25.97 per quarter, which breaks down to $8.49 per month.

Suburban Division

Proposed 2024 water rates for Suburban Division customers were presented to our Board in October 2023. Fixed charges for water remain the same. Volume charges will increase between 5-6% depending on customer water usage (2023 water volume rate: $3.58/1,000 gallons; 2024 rate: $3.80/1,000 gallons). The total customer impact in the example below is $3.30 per quarter, which breaks down to $1.10 per month. Specific details regarding rate changes are available here: Suburban Rate Details.

There will be no change to LCA Suburban Division wastewater rates. *Check with your municipality on sewer rates for 2024.

We do not raise rates because we want to. We increase rates because the responsibility to protect the public’s health and our environment is critically important.