The Public Utility and Regulatory Commission has announced marginal hikes in electricity and water prices. Electricity saw a 3 per cent increase whilst that of water saw 1.07 per cent increase. The new prices are expected to take effect on December 1, 2011. The increases Joy News correspondent Sammy Darko reported is part of the automatic price adjustment policy announced by the PURC early this year. However, consumers who use within 0-50 units of electricity are not affected by the new increases, Darko added. The increases, among other things have been attributed to hikes in crude oil prices at the international level, decrease in exchange rate of the cedi. The next adjust is expected to be announced in February, 2012.