The cost of water and sewer services is rising for many customers of West Virginia American Water Company. The Public Service Commission said it approved an increase of 8%, which means average residential customers will pay about $4.58 more each month for water and about $5.75 more each month for sewer. Kanawha County officials opposed the rate increase, but Commission President Kent Carper said in a statement that the 8% hike was far less than the company’s original 26% request. West Virginia American Water has approximately 167,000 water customers in 19 counties.