PSC gave Carolina Water a pass for polluting

The Public Service Commission takes the prize for stupidity in its decision to allow Carolina Water to increase its rates in order to recoup legal fees for defending itself for violating the Clean Water Act — a charge for which it was found guilty (“The PSC let a polluter bill customers for its legal fees. What would it give SCE&G?”).

How is Carolina Water being punished for wrongdoing when it can pass its legal fees on to customers? Yes, it still has to pay the fine for polluting, but this is small compared to the $1 million in legal fees it incurred trying to defend a dirty deed.

The PSC said Carolina Water did not have a choice. Really? It had a choice between polluting the lower Saluda River with untreated sewage and not polluting. It chose to pollute.

If punishment including legal fees is passed on to the customers, what incentive is there for Carolina Water to do the right thing in the future?

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