NEW YORK, NY—The New York Court of Appeals has upheld the Water Board’s issuance of credits to
homeowners. Due to this decision, 664,000 homeowners can receive a credit of $183 on an upcoming water bill. “The court’s decision clears the way for the Water Board to provide welcome financial relief for more than 664,000 New York homeowners,” said Mayor de Blasio. “They can now receive a credit on an upcoming water bill, keeping money in the pockets of hard working New York families. This New Year we can celebrate another critical step towards building a more fair and equitable city.”
In 2016 the City proposed, and the Water Board approved, the $183 credit as part of the Board’s fiscal year 2017 budget. Later that year a legal challenge was filed and the New York County Supreme Court invalidated the Water Board’s resolution, including the $183 credit. The Water Board appealed the decision which was subsequently upheld by the Appellate Division’s First Department. Upon further appeal to the New York State Court of Appeals, the Court upheld the Board’s authority to issue the credit at issue and its broad discretion in setting water rates.
The $183 credit represents a nearly 17 percent savings on the annual water and sewer bills for a typical single-family homeowner. For approximately 150,000 homeowners, many of whom are seniors, who use less than 95 gallons of water per day and pay the minimum charge, the credit represents a nearly 40 percent savings on their annual water and sewer bills.
The $183 credit will be applied to all one to three-family homes across the city.
