The Pennsylvania Utility Commission held a public hearing to gauge residents' feelings on the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s proposed raise to residential rates Tuesday.

The suggested increase for 2019 is 17.1 percent, which the authority says will fund $74 million in infrastructure improvements and provide $163 million for maintenance and operations.

Peoples Natural Gas is finding support in high places for their gambit to partner with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. 

Since the company announced its wish to build a water treatment site in O’Hara Township, Pittsburgh activists, lawmakers and the authority itself have held growing concern about the prospect of the partnership. 

Pittsburgh residents are not thrilled with the idea of a partnership between the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority and Peoples Natural Gas.

That’s why most of Wednesday night saw residents telling city council members that privatization would spell disaster for the city.

Efforts by natural gas company Peoples Gas to partner with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has earned the ire of several activists and community leaders in recent weeks. So much so that grassroots advocacy group Our Water Campaign gathered in front of the company’s North Shore headquarters Wednesday morning to launch a petition against what it thinks will lead to the privatization of the PWSA.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto Tuesday announced two executive orders intended to increase minority participation in the construction industry.