20250123Comments_2.pdf

The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Paul Patchin
Submission Time:Jan 22 2025 5:51PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 4690 N Futurity Ave
Boise, ID 83704
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID: VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "I and my household are vehemently opposed to the rate increase proposed by Veolia to
the Idaho PUC and documented in their recent mailing to customers.Veolia is a foreign-owned
utility(which should be illegal at its core)who certainly does not have the best interest of Boise
residents in mind but rather, profits for their company.The mailing touts all of their"customer
improvements"which are nothing more than necessary operating upgrades and repairs that are
part of doing business.Veolia was well-aware of the condition of the Boise Valley water system
when they recently purchased it from Suez,which most assuredly was reflected in their purchase
price.They then want the customers to pay the cost for these improvements that they knew were
necessary at the time of the purchase(and reflected in the price). Further,their statement that their
rates are competitive with other valley water utilities is likely not accurate as anybody I know on a
small public or private water system pays less for water than I do.As a customer, a $6.77 per month
increase is inordinately high and unacceptable.Additionally,Veolia seems to be much more
interested in "environmental impact"from their water system than financial impact to their
customers. Company literature is filled with virtue-signaling and ESG trite, a large departure from
what I as a "forced" customer wants to encourage, nor what the State of Idaho PUC should support
or enrich. "
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name:Joseph Dumais
Submission Time:Jan 23 2025 2:18PM
Email: iid [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 561 N Bursera Way
Eagle, ID 83616
Name of Utility Company:Veolia
Case ID:VEO-W-24-01
Comment: "Utility Commissioners-Concerning Veolia's Requested rate hike VEO-W-24-01 Dear Utility
Commissioners, I am writing to formally protest the recently proposed 20.5%water rate hike requested
by Veolia. As a resident of Eagle, Idaho, I am concerned that this is an excessive increase. Veolia, a
foreign company based in France, has been aggressively purchasing water utilities in the United States
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and within the State of Idaho. It appears that in many cases they have followed those purchases with
requests for very large rate hikes. Assuming they did their due diligence when they purchased our local
water company,they should have understood the cost/profit that was in place at that time.
This inflation that has impacted the United States over the last few years has had a particularly big
impact in Idaho given the low per capita income of its residents. Given the prior rate hike request of
24% (which was not fully granted at that time) it appears that Veolia remains determined to increase
their margin.They seem fixated on achieving higher rates at the expense of us customers. As they are a
utility company, I do not have the ability to shop around for better rates so I am hoping that the
commissioners will approve an increase which is more in line with the current inflation rate.
While they site "improvements" completed since 2023 as a reason for the increase, maintenance and
improvements are a routine part of the expenses for all utilities. During their due diligence process for
this purchase,they should have understood the improvements which they would need to undertake. If
the purchase of this utility was not attractive to them they should not have pursued it.
I urge the utility commissioners to consider us customers and significantly reduce the requested
increase. I am not sure if this is a valid request but, in the future I would like to see utility companies be
required to state what their current profit margin is and what any proposed rate hike would do to that
margin.
Thank you for your attention to this issue. I look forward to seeing your final decision.
Sincerely,
Joseph Dumais [phone]"
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