November 6, 2009

Graniteville, S.C. -- According to Senator Shane Massey, the legislative delegation will be starting over with a request to the Public Services Commission for relief from water bills.

It started in June when the PSC allowed Avondale a rate increase. Avondale then increased the rates for the month of July. When customers in Graniteville got their water bills around July 31, 2009, that was their first notice of the increase.

The legal process began at that point with a request for an injunction from the circuit court since no notice was given. The injunction was approved and Avondale appealed the injunction.

On November 5, 2009, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the circuit court had no right to approve the injunction and vacated the order.

Now, the legislative delegation has started again. They have sent a request to the Public Service Commission asking them to address the issue. That’s basically what the Supreme Court told them to do. The delegation is asking the PSC to grant an injunction until a decision can be made – the same thing the circuit court did.

Senator Massey said residents will probably get notices from Avondale that the July bill is due. His recommendation is to pay the bill so they don’t lose their water service.

“We are still fighting this. We have not given up.”