CRANBERRY TWP — The average water customer’s bill in Cranberry Township is expected to increase by nearly $9 a month when a rate increase goes into effect in July.

That hike represents a 27 percent increase in the price per thousand gallons, an increase recently announced by West View Water Authority, which serves Cranberry residents.

Township manager Jerry Andree said the supervisors first must vote tonight on the increase, but added he wants consumers to know the rate increase is coming.

“We’re giving people plenty of time to be prepared for the increase,” he said.

About 80 percent of the increase will go to financing the $105 million construction of a water treatment plant in Beaver County.

The other 20 percent, Andree said, will go to pay for the replacement of aging and outdated water meters in Cranberry.

Those two increases combined will cost the average water customer an additional $8.85 a month.

Andree said the average household in Cranberry uses 5,000 gallons of water a month, with an average bill just less than $30.

Andree said the increase is a “pass through” from West View to Cranberry and then to customers.

However, the replacement of the meters is an additional $2 a month for the average water customer, an increase that is past needed, Andree said.

“We’ve been kicking the can down the road on those meters,” Andree said. “But we know 56 percent of them (in Cranberry) are 15 years or older.”

The old meters will be replaced by real-time electronic meters that are more accurate. Andree said the new meters will be phased in over three year.

Cranberry residents can expect to see the increase starting July 25.