Pasco County residents fighting against a big water company finally got a victory.

Governor Rick Scott recently signed a water protection bill that gives more power to the people. Now when the utilities want to raise rates, the state gets to consider the quality of service and residents get to bring their concerns to Tallahassee.

For Ann Marie Ryan and her husband, they wouldn’t want to live anywhere but at their Summertree home.

"It’s really a very comfortable, friendly place," said Ryan.

The Ryans say their drinking water is a different story. For eight years the couple and their neighbors have a had a long, expensive battle with their water utility company.

"Our next door neighbors only pay under $35 a month for water and sewer -- the people in our community pay between 68 and $110 a month, "said Ryan.

The Ryans say Summertree’s private water company, Utilities Inc., has increased the water rate to 249 percent increase since 1990.

Left with no other choice, the Ryans invest in $1,000 worth of filters to have her water clean.

Summertree residents first victory came last year, they were the first customers in the state of Florida to get the public service commission to find the water utility company unsatisfactory.

"We were fighting a billion dollar corporation and everything was on our side," said Ryan.

On Friday, when the governor passed the consumer protection act brought to him by Senator Wilton Simpson.

"Now we have for the first time in 20 to 30 years the opportunity for residents and consumers to get their voices heard," said Simpson.