20190212Comments_(2).pdf

Diane Holt
From:
Sent:
To:
Subiect:
Name: Peter Staley
Case Number: SUZ-W-18-02
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: 2L42287395
Address: 1830 E. Birchwood Dr
Eagle 1D,83616
Name of Utility Company: SUEZ
Comment: Understanding whomever purchases Eagle Water Company, monthly service rates will increase significantly
This is a forgone conclusion.
I am opposed to SUEZ water purchasing Eagle Water Company for the following reasons.
SUEZ is a French conglomerate of water rights with much of it in the United States. They are trading, buying or whatever
means necessary to gain water to serve areas that are not adequately supplied which means removing thousands of
gallons of water every day from wells surrounding and in Eagle. This very issue is allegedly affecting well owners on the
west side of Eagle. Water levels are dropping by the large amounts of water being removed, granted for now that is
going to Eagle residents. Yet, SUEZ has already been approved to pipe water from Eagle's aquifers to send water to the
north and Northwest Boise area, the lines are stacked on the side of HWY 44 waiting to be installed , and if it is as laid
out along the shoulder, it is 2 lines at least 24" for each line. That is a massive amount to remove every day.
Suez has stated that they need/want to buy EWC because of the quantity of water and the the closeness to their desired
plans of expanding. This causes another problem as the lines have been attached to City of Eagle water lines for 10 years
for the potential need for firefighting or as a well goes down leaving any area low on water wherever City of Eagle and
EWC serve. This could cause undue use of Eagle water outside the City of Eagle putting a strain on the systems in place.
SUEZ has to treat the water they give to customers with tremendous amounts of chemicals/additives to enable the
water to be safe for drinking from our source to others than Eagle customers where they have said they would be
pumping the water to. That will contaminate our pure, clean water to the point of causing it to be unsatisfactory to us.
This whole thought process from their declared intentions has nothing to benefit us at all, and for that matter not even
Boise. SUEZ wants water, gets water anyway it can without thinking who they will affect. Much of the cost burdened by
us is for water designated for Boise. Every time they expand the costs go up and anyone serviced by them pays the
cost.
SUEZ history serving or contracting to maintain water systems in municipalities around the country have had a
extremely poor reputation according to published or reported news reports going back at least ten years. Some
contracts were cancelled part way through, others not renewed. Causes stated are failure to maintain the system,
failure to upgrade the system as planned, incorrect billing statements to customers, and discourteous customer service
if they could be reached at all. I know SUEZ customers and ex customers who have had to dealwith some of these issues
in Eagle and Boise.
I ask the PUC not to grant them the right to purchase EWC as the state receives more and more residents the indications
are SUEZ will not be able to full fill all the requirements needed to be a public utility company in good standing.
[e-mail]
Tuesday, February 12,2019 3:09 PM
Beverly Barker; Diane Holt; Erik Jorgensen; Matthew Evans
Case Comment Form: Peter Staley
1
From:
Sent:
To:
Subiect:
Name: Jenny Hunter
Case Number: EAG-W-18-01
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone:
Address:8200 West Brookside Lane
Boise lD, 837L4
Name of Utility Company: Eagle Water Company/SUEZ
Comment: I am writing to voice my strong opposition to the pending purchase of Eagle Water Company by SUEZ. This is
a contested purchase and will result in rate hikes for ALL SUEZ customers. A goal of this purchase is to expand and
connect water services to developments in the northwest foothills and it will pave the way for further development. lt
also takes away local control of water and hands it over to a huge international conglomerate known for bullying
communities into these types of sales.
The City of Boise, City of Eagle, Citizens Allied for lntegrity and Accountability, Eagle Water Customer Group, and
Community Action Partnership Association have all filed to intervene. Currently, the City of Eagle has "first right of
refusal."
Here are links to two related KWB stories:
https://www.kwb.com/article/news/local/eagle-residents-fight-proposed-water-utility-rate-hikes-from-possible-suez-
wate r-p u rch ase / 277 -32OLLcc7 -62e8-4887 -9fOa-4baf644fb535
https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/eagle-residents-unite-to-keep-their-water-company-lo cal/277-f784d0e9-
ee 19-45 3 2-9eff-3 83d 6a 1 1 68 30
This particularly impacts me as a resident of West Brookside Lane, adjacent to the Dry Creek Ranch development that is
currently undenaray. Water access and availability has been a major concern for a development as large as Dry Creek
Ranch, including how it will impact senior water rights holders on wells such as myself. There's only so much
groundwater!
Dry Creek Ranch is slated to manage water via two private companies operated by Boise Hunter Homes (the developer):
Dry Creek Water Company and Dry Creek Sewer Company. However, if this purchase goes through, I suspect that Dry
Creek Ranch willjump on board at some point to access water via SUEZ, like Hidden Springs and Avimor.
Please consider the voices of longtime Dry Creek Valley residents such as myself. lt has been clear throughout this
process that Boise Hunter Homes and the (old) county commissioners don't care about those of us who already live here
or how anything they do negatively impacts us, all they care about is paving over historic farmland and critical wildlife
habitat to make money. Please, please do not approve this purchase. Please stand for RESPONSIBLE growth and
development in our beautiful city - not irresponsible, rampant sprawling growth that is ill-planned and does not have the
infrastructure such as roads and water to support it.
Sincerely,
[e-mail]
Tuesday, February 12,2019 1 1:33 AM
Beverly Barker; Diane Holt; Erik Jorgensen; Matthew Evans
Case Comment Form:Jenny Hunter
1
Diane Holt