CHULUOTA -- Residents in Seminole County said they are heading to Tallahassee next week to protest a utility company's plan to increase their water bills by nearly 300 percent.

Over 1,500 flyers have been passed out through the Chuluota neighborhood to encourage homeowners to head to the capital city for the four-day public service hearing Aqua Utilities is scheduled to have in front of the public service commission.

Residents complained they are already paying the highest water bill in the county.

"In this economy, people are having to make choices between food, they're having to make choices about how often they bathe," said Kelly Sullivan, a Chulutoa resident.

Aqua Utility officials told News 13 they are well overdue for a rate increase, claiming they are actually losing money, and they have not had a rate increase in 10 years.

A final decision from the Public Service Commission on the rate increase will not come until March.

Comment on this story.