Hundreds of Seminole County residents fighting a proposed water rate increase got some help Monday night.

Longwood City Commissioners publicly opposed the request by Utilities, Inc. of Florida in a letter to the Florida Public Service Commission.

Lenny Salvo says just to a drink his tap water, he must run it through a water-filtering system outside his house.

“The water was terrible, it smelled like chlorine and washing the dishes -- it had this fishy odor,” said Salvo.

Salvo’s water company, Utilities, Inc. of Florida, is now asking the Florida Public Service Commission to approve a rate increase in 10 counties. Many customers in Seminole County, like Salvo, say the increase would more than double their monthly water bill. Salvo says his bill would go from about $60 a month, on average, to more than $120 a month.

“Which is absolutely crazy,” said Salvo. “We just want to know when it’s going to end.”

On Monday night, a couple dozen residents came to the Longwood City Commission meeting where they expressed their concerns to city commissioners. Longwood city leaders announced they are publicly opposing the rate increase, and submitted a letter to the Florida PSC asking the agency to reject the rate increase request.

Longwood Mayor Joe Durso says the city has even offered to buy the local water service and run it, but Utilities, Inc. hasn’t yet taken the city up on that offer.

“Because we believe with accountability and transparency serving  as a locally-elected government, that we can better manage these rates and better manage the system,” said Mayor Durso.

A spokesperson for Utilities Inc. says the rate increase is designed to cover the cost of repairing and replacing aging infrastructure, which includes money the utility will have to spend in the area where residents’ bills are going up.

But Lenny Salvo says rates have increased before without an increase in water quality at his home.

Retired and on a fixed income, Salvo says he’s now trying to figure out how he’ll come up with more money each month if the rate increase is approved.

“The hardship comes in when people have to make hard choices,” said Salvo.

The Florida Public Service Commission is still accepting input on the proposed water rate increase. It’s expected to vote on the measure in June.