GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. – Residents in Housatonic, a village within the town of Great Barrington, are still dealing with discolored water after years of issues and are now speaking out against a proposed water rate increase.

Customers protested the potential boost to their bill outside Monument Mountain High School ahead of a public meeting Tuesday night. Housatonic Water Works, which provides water to the village, filed a petition with the Department of Public Utilities for approval of an increase in rates.

The water company says the average customer's water bill would increase from around $750 dollars to more than $1,600.

“The Great Barrington Select Board stand in unison with the citizens of Housatonic, Stockbridge, and West Stockbridge; feel that a rate increase the size 120% that Housatonic Water Works is asking for is unconscionable,” said Stephen Bannon, chair of the Great Barrington Select Board. “And we really need to have some guarantees that the water, when the infrastructure repairs are done, the water will be clean and free of carcinogens before any money is given to Housatonic Water Works.”

Officials from the DPU were at the meeting Tuesday to hear feedback from residents.

“It's very important for us of the Department of Public Utilities to hear directly from the people who are impacted by the decision we are going to make,” said DPU commissioner Staci Rubin. “We were really happy to be out here. So, the next step is that our agency is going to continue to ask questions of the company.

“There will be hearings where there's going to be more evidence discussed, questions asked of the company. And then there will be a final decision in writing. And we will do our very best to respond to all of the comments we heard tonight.”

The new rates would reportedly generate more than $800,000 dollars in additional revenue for the water company.

The DPU has suspended the effective date of the proposed increase until June 1 of next year to investigate the company’s request.