A long-standing battle between Anchorage and the state over water and sewer rates was decided in favor of the city on Friday, meaning Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility customers will not be getting refunds ordered by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. The ruling by the Alaska Supreme Court saves the city about $40 million in refunds to the public utility's customers. It also means the public utility can continue passing on to its customers nearly $6.4 million in additional charges a year.

The Supreme Court ruling reverses a 2005 decision by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, sending the case back to the commission "to conduct further proceedings and make a determination on the merits of the reasonableness of AWWU's proposed rate increase."

Larry Honchen and Loren Uhlenkott in the AKT Anchorage office worked closely with the legal team on this issue, determining strategy and providing technical expertise.