Buffalo Water Board Collects $5M | Buffalo News

Buffalo’s water board pulled off a major win—recovering $5 million in overdue bills, which has temporarily halted a planned 11% rate hike. Targeting 12% of customers (about 1200 people) who owed over $1,000 and hadn’t paid in a year, they gave multiple chances to settle, with most complying. The remaining non-payers had their water shut off temporarily, but all service was restored after payments or payment plans were arranged—1,900 plans set up since March. The move wasn’t about cutting people off, but ensuring fair cost-sharing. Surprisingly, delinquent accounts came from all neighborhoods, not just low-income areas. While this pause is a win for now, the board acknowledges future hikes are likely—especially with a $1 billion federal mandate to replace lead pipes by 2037 looming. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/77266acb3c822e89