Washington Water Service Company’s President Michael Ireland met with the companies advisory committee on Orcas on March 19 to get input on future plans including a rate increase.

“There will be a rate increase for our customers on Orcas, but we don’t know by how much yet,” Ireland said. “We look at historical data from 2008 and then review the rate increase with our advisory committee for their feedback.”

Once a rate increase has been determined Washington Water will take it through the approval process with the Utilities Commission.

Ireland said the rate increase had to do with the unique situation on Orcas.

“We work in eight counties in Washington State,” he said. “All the others use groundwater and are on the mainland. Because in this situation we are on an island, and it is surface water, we need someone to monitor the system seven days a week That requires three employees, which is one and a half times what our other areas require for systems of half the complexity.”

Ireland told the committee that they planned to ask the state for 50 more connections over the next year and that he hoped to get two new volunteers on the advisory committee.

“We hope to get someone from Rosario’s Resort and the homeowners association on the advisory committee before the next step.”