N.C. Appeals Court affirms Utilities Commission decision in dispute involving Charlotte-area utilities

A unanimous three-judge panel of the N.C. Court of Appeals has affirmed the N.C. Utilities Commission’s decision to assign $3.3 million to some Cabarrus County water and sewer ratepayers as part of Charlotte’s annexation of an area known as the Cabarrus Woods Systems. Carolina Water Service of North Carolina challenged the ruling, arguing that the money should have gone to its shareholders.The Utilities Commission argued that the ratepayers deserved the money to compensate for higher water and sewer rates expected in connection with the loss of CWSNC customers to the city of Charlotte.