FORT KENT, Maine — Fort Kent residents could see their water bills surge by 75% in January.
After keeping water rates flat for nearly 25 years, the town’s water department is trying to make up for three years of operating losses. The proposed hike would be its first rate change since 2002.
The Fort Kent Town Council will hold a public hearing at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the municipal multipurpose room to hear comments and discuss the increase, which would go into effect at the start of next year.
Fort Kent is not the only Aroostook County community increasing its water rates. Frenchville announced hikes earlier this year. In Limestone, customers faced a much larger increase. The Loring Commerce Centre controversially increased its water rate by nearly 1,000% for some customers, meaning residents paying $40 per quarter for using 900 cubic feet would pay $471 for using the same amount. Residents and business owners petitioned the increase.
According to a legal notice approved by the Fort Kent Town Council earlier this week, the rate hike will be applied to residential, commercial, industrial and private fire protection rates.
Public fire protection charges, which are determined by a formula set by the Maine Public Utilities Commission, will increase by 30%. The current rate for existing hydrants in Fort Kent is $163,680 annually and $27,280 bimonthly.
The water department will see a total increase of $222,511 as a result of the new rates.
For a customer using a standard 5/8 inch meter and 800 cubic feet of water or less, their bimonthly rate would go from $30.31 to $53.04, or roughly an extra $11 per month. The rate per 100 cubic feet would increase by $3.96 instead of $2.26 for the next 3,200 cubic feet, $2.61 for the next 4,000, and by $2.24 for everything above this amount.
According to the timeline provided in the PUC docket, Fort Kent Town Council would vote to approve the rates during a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 21. The deadline for customers to petition is Nov. 14, and the increase would be effective on Jan. 1, 2026.
