20150522Decision Memo.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM 1
DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER REDFORD
COMMISSIONER RAPER
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
LEGAL

FROM: NEIL PRICE
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL

DATE: MAY 22, 2015

SUBJECT: APPLICATION OF SCHWEITZER BASIN WATER LLC FOR A
CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY, CASE
NO. SCH-W-15-01

On February 13, 2015, the Commission received an Application from Schweitzer
Basin Water LLC (“Schweitzer” or “Company ”) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity (CPCN).
APPLICATION
Schweitzer is owned and operated by Mel Bailey, with an office located in Sandpoint,
Idaho. Schweitzer requests that the Commission authorize the Company to operate as a public
utility in the State of Idaho and to provide water service in the following geographical area:
Township 58 North, Range 2 West, Boise Meridian, Section 20, Southeast 1/4 in Bonner County.
Schweitzer remarked that the Company is a “privately owned non-transient, non-
community water system serving a residential area at the Schweitzer Ski resort with
approximately 30-40 full time residents and transient population of 900.” Application at 1.
Schweitzer states that it has been “operating since 1964 in support of skier housing, with a
weekend and holiday population during ski season.” Id. The Company claims that it has 431
residential customers and no commercial customers. All of Schweitzer’s customers are billed a
flat monthly rate. There are no metered customers.
Schweitzer’s water system includes 431 hookups and 75 connections. The Company
utilizes four wells, five reservoirs, and more than six miles of distribution system with seven
pressure zones. All flow is by gravity.
DECISION MEMORANDUM 2
The Company included several attachments in support of its Application, including
but not limited to the following: latest Amendment to Certificate of Limited Liability Company;
registration as a business with Idaho Secretary of State; legal description of the Company’s
proposed service area; map of Schweitzer’s wells, reservoirs, water lines, and main valves; DEQ
water assessment report; Certifications of Water System Operators, Certificate Number DWT1-
10022 and Certificate Number DWT1-10153; Schweitzer’s water right; calculation of future
customers served by the Company; monthly water production data for 2013-2014; rate schedule;
financial statements for 2012-2014; list of addresses of Schweitzer customers; Notice of
Application for a CPCN mailed to Schweitzer customers as billing insert; bill template; reminder
notice template; final notice template; Schweitzer rules and regulations; Schweitzer main
extension rules; and selected engineering data from 2014.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to process Schweitzer’s Application for a CPCN through
Modified Procedure with a comment deadline of August 20, 2015?

Neil Price
Neil Price
Deputy Attorney General

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