20230328Comments (10)_10.pdf

IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION VEO-W-22-02
lim
Boise,Idaho
March 27,2023
COMMENT FORM
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10/4/22
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From: PUCWeb No�fica�on <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 7:01 AM
To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]>
Subject: No�ce: A comment was submited to PUCWeb

The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Melissa Chris�an
Submission Time: Mar 27 2023 5:33PM
Email: mjchris�[e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 4338 Sage Creek
Boise, ID 83714

Name of U�lity Company: Veolia

Case ID: VEO-W-22-02

Comment: "An increase of 24% in the middle of the worst infla�on in the last 60 years is unthinkable.
First, we generate our own water & use it for daily use, for geo thermal hea�ng and genera�ng
electricity. Veolia does nothing to provide us with water. Veolia does not maintain our geo thermal
system, our irriga�on systems, nor our dams. Second, Idaho is a low income state- even Ada County, and
this rate increase will devastate all ci�zens. Third, Veolia is a company owned in France. Allowing a
foreign company to control our water is bad enough, allowing an increase on the ci�zens of Idaho is
untenable. Please vote against this increase. Thank you. "

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From: PUCWeb No�fica�on <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 9:00 AM
To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]>
Subject: No�ce: A comment was submited to PUCWeb

The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Khile Jr
Submission Time: Mar 28 2023 8:58AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 1710 S Cur�s RD
Boise , ID 83705

Name of U�lity Company: Veoila

Case ID: VEO-W-22-02

Comment: "I don't agree with this increase. We shouldn't be subject to rate hikes when we're already
ge�ng it everywhere else. Just another Big Company looking to scratch off the everyday ci�zens that
actually make up this city, town, state. I'm a diabe�c who already needs to pay for prescrip�ons. So I
already spend more in my life�me. $7 bucks a month adds up. $84 bucks a year, is 1 maybe 2 of those
prescrip�ons. So I ask... Are you willing to take away 1 or 2 prescrip�ons a year from me? I'm just 1
person. There is many more like me out there. There's things to think about when it comes to everyday
ci�zens. It's already a problem when u�li�es rise every 2 months, seemingly, now water?? I thought
water was a basic human right... Corporate Greed. Maybe if there was a compe�ng water company out
there for us. But you could do or say anything almost but hey at least we get this forum right?? Where's
the economic s�mulus to help out your customer base? "

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From: Dry Well <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 9:10 AM
To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]>
Subject: Comment clarifica�on

Hello,

I would just like to clarify a point from my tes�mony at last nights mee�ng. Veolia has maintained it is
their policy that they do not ask their current subscribers to pay for “new construc�on.” That policy
denied families from having water when their wells went dry. Veolia always wanted the money upfront.
That policy is inconsistent with their request now for a substan�al increase in water rates of 24.1%.

The claim by Veolia that a 24.1% increase is absolutely necessary to cover their costs for the
construc�on upgrades in their new acquisi�on, the Eagle Water Company, a�er the costs were already
expended. In essence, Veolia is asking their subscribers throughout all of the Treasure Valley to foot the
bill for their new acquisi�on.

For some families, whom I have just learned are coming up on their one year anniversary of having no
water, Veolia‘s policy created quite a hardship. It is incredibly expensive to hook up to Veolia water, the
only water choice when deepening a well is not an op�on.

Idaho does not need to become equivalent of Poterstown and I would hope the PUC understands the
posi�on such an rate increase will mean for the hard-working families of the Treasure Valley.

Thank you,

Suzanne Knorr

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From: PUCWeb No�fica�on <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 10:00 AM
To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]>
Subject: No�ce: A comment was submited to PUCWeb

The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Aaron Kenny
Submission Time: Mar 28 2023 9:47AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 8646 W Galac�c St
Boise, ID 83709

Name of U�lity Company: Veolia

Case ID: VEO-W-22-02

Comment: "Although Veolia, and Suez prior to the acquisi�on, have made significant system
improvements and maintenance expenditures in the last few years, the proposed amount is excessive. I
would urge the PUC to apply an increase to help cover the ongoing opera�onal costs experience, but at
a significantly lower rate that has been proposed by Veolia. Perhaps a moderate rate increase each year
for the next 3-4 years should be considered. This would help reduce the financial impact on residents in
the short term but also give Veolia some level of assurance regarding their revenue projec�ons. "

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From: PUCWeb No�fica�on <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 11:00 AM
To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]>
Subject: No�ce: A comment was submited to PUCWeb

The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Virgil Bramlet
Submission Time: Mar 28 2023 10:57AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 71 N Wooddale Ave
Eagle, ID 83616

Name of U�lity Company: Veolia Water

Case ID: VEO-W-22-02

Comment: "A 24.1 percent rate increase to customers? Really? When was the last �me anybody---and I
do mean ANYBODY---received a 24.1 percent pay raise from their employer? If the commission approves
this, there must be members on the decision board who have a personal financial stake in Veolia and its
subsidiaries or have rela�ves who work for the company."

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From: PUCWeb No�fica�on <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 1:01 PM
To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]> Subject: No�ce: A comment was submited to PUCWeb

The following comments were submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Charles Lund
Submission Time: Mar 28 2023 12:27PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 3962 N. Elgin Way #A
Boise, ID 83713

Name of U�lity Company: Ada County

Case ID: VEO-W-22-02

Comment: "My wife and I are re�red and cannot afford further increases, including the increase of
water rates. We oppose water rate increases as proposed."

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Name: Adam Bendorf
Submission Time: Mar 28 2023 12:52PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 10369 W Barnsdale Drive
Boise , ID 83704

Name of U�lity Company: Veolia Water Idaho

Case ID: VEO-W-22-02

Comment: "I am formally voicing my opinion about the possible rate increase for the water u�lity. A
24% increase is absolutely preposterous, especially at a �me when infla�on is decima�ng the household
income. When I purchased my home, it came with a swimming pool. Unbeknownst to me, there was a
small leak in one of the pipes. This requires me to con�nually run a small stream of water to keep the
pool at the proper depth so that my pump does not burn out. The cost of repairing the pool is between
$$10-$15K. This is unfeasible because of my financial situa�on. But a water bill that goes up by 24% just
makes my financial life that much more difficult. There is a tremendous amount of waste in our state
government, and I suggest cu�ng out waste in other areas and applying the savings towards any
supposed costs that the water company claims they have. Adam Bendorf "

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From: PUCWeb No�fica�on <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 12:00 PM To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]>
Subject: No�ce: A comment was submited to PUCWeb

The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Melissa Corn-Minjares
Submission Time: Mar 28 2023 11:29AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 3575 S. Ticonderoga Way
Boise, ID 83706

Name of U�lity Company: Veolia

Case ID: VEO-W-22-02

Comment: "To whomever it may concern, I have recently read that Veolia is asking to raise water costs
24.1%. My first thought is for what? There have been no addi�onal services provided, I know my home
has not benefited from any work they are doing, how are they deciding that raising the cost of water by
24.1% for anything other than no compe��on and a monopoly on the market? For a �me where
Treasure Valley residents are facing housing crisis and holding on by threads saving every penny counts.
My family has faced layoffs and we are living just shy of paycheck to paycheck as we hope my husband
gets back into a full-�me posi�on. As of this moment he is working just shy of full-�me at one job and
part �me at another, both not paying well but he is doing what he can to suffice. However, this makes
our income vary due to the hours changing weekly. I went back into the service industry. I work a full-
�me office job and wait tables at night to make ends meet. We barely get to save any money as is and
having something as "small" as the water bill skyrocke�ng will have a direct impact on us and our ability
to be in our home. In summary, the community cannot afford to take this hit. I do not believe that is falls
on us in the Treasure Valley to recoup the $70 million a foreign company decided to sink into projects
when they bought the company. Any reasonable project is fleshed out to have a plan for how to make it
affordable to the company, that's not my fault a French company didn't do it properly. Veolia is banking
on their monopoly of the market, and we cannot allow them to run wild crea�ng their own precedents
in rate raises and lack of improvement with their service. "

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From: PUCWeb No�fica�on <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 2:00 PM
To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]>
Subject: No�ce: A comment was submited to PUCWeb

The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Mat Rieker
Submission Time: Mar 28 2023 1:07PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 5174 N Edenburgh Way
Boise, ID 83714

Name of U�lity Company: Veolia

Case ID: VEO-W-22-02

Comment: "The water rate increase is completely unjus�fied. The company argues that because it is
replacing pipes to keep to regula�ons they need more money. In running a public u�lity general
maintenance is not a reason to raise rates. This is a cost of doing business and horrible that they try to
take advantage of the public a�er buying out the previous supplier. Greed to the extreme."

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