20241205Comments_11.pdf

The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Matthew Crosby
Submission Time: Dec 3 2024 6:48PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 7590 Abe Ave
Boise, ID 83714
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "Please do not approve the Veolia request to raise rates by 20%for their financial choices.
This is passing consequences of their investments onto consumers, at a time when many can hardly
afford the cost of living as is.Thank you"
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Name: Johnny Lattimer
Submission Time: Dec 3 2024 7:39PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 10 4th St N
Nampa, ID 83651
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "I dont believe the rate increase that Veolia is requesting, should be granted.The
improvements they have made, have only been made in order to meet a safe water quality, in which
they were failing to do so before.The costs of providing basic quality should not be a means to increase
the cost, in fact, it should be a means for backdated refunds for the customers who were receiving less
than satisfactory quality before upgrades."
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Name: Juan Burzaco
Submission Time: Dec 3 2024 7:52PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 2965 S Zach pl
Boise, ID 83706
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "I write in opposition to Veolia's request for increased water rates.
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Tap water is a natrual monopoly. As such, I can't shop around to find a different water provider.
To grant Veolia a raise of ca. 20%, as covered in many local newspapers,would put customers in the
obligatory situation to pay that increase.
Also,the company should manage their investments properly, so as not to have to make requests for
these types of increases, after having done investments pertinent to staying in operations.
If these investments are related to developments in the city, it should be the city itself or new
neighborhoods covering that cost, and not every customer in the city.
Personally, I have not noticed any improvements in water supply or quality at my house. I had no issues
before Veolia started providing water, so they did not solve any apparent problem.Therefore, such a
steep hike in water rates seems completely unwarranted.
The way these price increases work, once they go in effect, they do not back track and Veolias claim to
request this increase to recoup the cost of their investment, seems disingenuous at best. If the primary
goal is to recoup investment, a price hike should only be temporary, until the investment is recouped.
And then the price go back to what it was before the increase.
Even so, it begs the question: why an investment that no customer had a say in, has to be paid for by the
customers themselves?Veolia should budget these investments in a sound manner, instead of making
and investment and then reaching out to PUC to request that customers foot the bill.
Also,with population growth in the valley, as new customers set up a service with Veolia, a raise today to
'recoup costs' would more than likely turn into a profitability result for Veolia. I do want the company to
remain profitable and maintain the water networks, but increase rates to increase profitability seems like
a misguided goal for a company in the business of providing public services.
Given Veolias natural monopoly in water provision, a 20% rate increase is egregious and unfair.
Customers should be able to have a say in these matters to avoid being taking advantage of by service
providers that develop their business in monopolistic conditions. "
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Name:Jeff Taylor
Submission Time: Dec 3 2024 8:46PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 3809 West Camas Street
Boise, ID 83705
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "Veolia is asking for HUGE rate increase for my water bill and has done nothing to better the
water on the central bench. we still have brown rusty water with massive amounts of particulate in it. I
shouldn't have to pay for them to NOT maintain my water supply. If they need all this money for the
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new neighborhoods,that should be funded by impact fees on new construction, not raising rates on
existing customers that weren't taken care of in the first place."
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Name: Karma Nalder
Submission Time: Dec 3 2024 9:02PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 10806 W Bridgetower Dr
Boise, ID 83709
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "Please do not approve Veolia's proposed rate increase. Our water rates have already
skyrocketed since they took over! Their projects take so much longer than they say they will that I
wonder if the rate increase is to pay for fees and fines for taking so long on a project.The Five Mile
project took almost a year longer than we were originally told. How much money was wasted by having
to change things around when they didn't get it done in time? I don't think homeowners should have
their rates increased to pay for fines,fees, and extensions on previous projects."
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The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Afton Tarin
Submission Time: Dec 4 2024 7:17AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 2325 N Wilmington Dr
Boise, ID 83704
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "I read the KTVB article on this and was very upset.That article says nothing will
change/residents will get the "same benefits" but we've not seen any beneficial changes since switching
from Suez and all this comes AFTER Veolia recently informed us that the service lines leading to our
home "may contain lead"?WOW.Terrible! I need to get a water test done to make sure we having been
slowly poisoning ourselves for the last 8 years and now we may also have to pay more while they do
nothing about this. It's not right! I have to spend nearly$400 for a water filter already. I really hope you
don't approve this"
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Name: Steven Kellogg
Submission Time: Dec 4 2024 7:43AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 11117 W. Palm Street
Boise, ID 83713
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "Veolia CEO, Estelle Brachlianoff, commented:
"At mid-year,Veolia posted a very solid performance, perfectly aligned with the priorities of the GreenUp
Strategic Program that we have recently launched. EBITDA was up+5.7%1 and current net income up
+15.2%2, in line with our expectations.These excellent results reflect our commercial dynamism and
operational excellence, as well as the vitality of demand". I'm on a fixed income and water is a necessity
for my house.They(corporations) keep wanting more profits at our demise. Estimated Violia bill
additional $6.77 per month adds up! Especially as each vital Utility adds to our expenses! They slowly
run us homeowners into bankruptcy. Veolia's "investment of$74 million" is a cost of doing business and
usually depreciated at a high rate...already making the water company increased profits! They DON'T
need to increase our water rates further to increase their profits further!! Sincerely, Steven Kellogg"
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The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name:Jeremy Nalder
Submission Time: Dec 4 2024 12:16PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 10806 W Bridgetower Dr
Boise, ID 83709
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "I request that you deny Veolia's proposed rate hike.The company is claiming it needs to
increase the rates to pay for improvements that have already been made.This is bad management.
Improvements should be funded and budgeted prior to being done and permanently increasing the rates
for past projects is unethical. Next they will try to claim projects done by Suez or the original Boise
Waterworks are causing the need to hike the rates further. Please deny the rate increase proposal."
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Name: Terry Reynolds
Submission Time: Dec 4 2024 12:24PM
Email: [e-mail]
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Telephone: [phone]
Address: 4501 N Keldoon Ave
Boise, ID 83702
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "Safe water is our lifeline, and I would not want Boise to become a future Flint, Michigan
story. I would think that the improvements and cost that Veolia made would be audited for both worth
to improvement and true cost, i.e. show all receipts. Veolia should be 100%transparent in their
documentation to the PUC and the community. Some of their costs are surely for the greater good,
while others only may be for their own profitability and efficiency. "
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Nancy Landon
Submission Time: Dec 4 2024 1:49PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 12930 W Engelmann Drive
Boise, ID 83713
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "I am requesting that you deny the excessive increase that Veolia Water Company is
requesting. 20% is an excessive request, considering they have had multiple large increases in the last
five years. As a person on fixed income this is not sustainable for retirees and most Idahoans.
The company did not request your approval to expend all the capital expenditures, but now want to
require water users to pay for their development costs. They are currently paid by developers a large
sum every time a new project or development is completed. I was the CFO for 25 years at the School
District, so I am very aware of the fees charged to build a new school, even on the same site! It seems
they get reimbursed by the developers and then do an additional charge to the water users. This
request looks like the only person or entity that gains anything are the shareholders of the water
company. Again please deny this outrageous request. Thank You"
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Perry Colton
Submission Time: Dec 4 2024 3:11PM
Email: [e-mail]
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Telephone: [phone]
Address:411 W Union Street
Boise, ID 83702
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "I do not agree with Veolia spending$on projects THEY decide on and then ask for ME to
reimburse them.That is not correct or appropriate. I do not agree with the proposed increase."
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