If you live in Eagle, your water bill could skyrocket soon

Suez Water has filed an application to acquire the Eagle Water Co., which serves 12,000 people.

The purchase, which is expected to close in 2019, must first be approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission.

Suez serves 240,000 people in Boise and its surrounding areas.

According to a news release, residents who use Eagle Water would see rate increases of $6 per month in 2019 and $9 in 2020 and 2021, on average. Commercial customers would see $40 increases per month in those years.

“Residential customers would see an overall increase of 204 percent, based on an average calculated monthly bill of $12.35 using 12,000 gallons per month,” the release said. “Commercial customers would see a 303 percent increase based on an average calculated monthly bill of $38.96 using 56,000 gallons per month.”

Suez says it plans to improve customer service, provide a better online experience and provide 24-hour monitoring “to ensure continuous service reliability and water quality.”

“The water utility landscape continues to shift as small private and municipally owned utilities seek out larger investor-owned companies to acquire their operations,” said Eric Gernath, CEO of SUEZ North America, in the release. “The successful operation of and investment in critical infrastructure more than ever requires reliable and larger operators who can sustain systems well into the future.”

This story was originally published November 15, 2018 at 8:17 PM.