20250401Comments_4.pdf

The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Nate Simmons
Submission Time: Mar 31 2025 4:59PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 1655 W Diamond Bar Rd
Rathdrum, ID 83858
Name of Utility Company: Diamond Bar Estates Water District
Case ID: GSW-W-24-01
Comment: "Public Utilities Commission Case#GSW-W-24-01 Customer response to Proposed
Gem State Water request for rate increase:
• Gem State Water(GSW or Gem State)first submitted their request very late in December,
2024, asking for rates to increase on February 1, 2025.There was no notice given to their
customers, and there has been no public hearing set up to allow for asking questions of GSW and
the PUC.This is clearly an attempt by GSW to ram through an outrageous increase without their
customer base having knowledge of their intentions and allowing us to make our thoughts and
opinions heard.
• Before any decision is reached by the PUC on the GSW request, a public hearing for
Diamond Bar Estates homeowners only MUST be held!
• Gem State rates were significantly raised just two years ago on March 1, 2023.
• The United States inflation rate for 2023 was 3.4%,the inflation rate for 2024 was 2.9%,
cumulative inflation rate since the last rate increase has been 6.3%.
• GSW is now asking for an increase exceeding 50%, in otherwards,well in excess of 40%
greater than the rate of inflation. This is a grossly exorbitant request!
• In the amended rate request Introduction and Background section, GSW was not satisfied
with an outrageous revenue increase of 64.8%, so they upped their request to 78.8%, an almost
doubling of revenue in a two year period. This cannot be allowed to stand!
• GSW is being extremely deceptive by hiding the real impacts of their proposal! By raising
the basic rate"only"by 23%($41 to$53.50) it doesn't appear to bad, but they are at the same time
decreasing the minimum gallons from 7,500 to 5,000 per month. The minimum gallons per month
must NOT be changed at all in ANY of the different categories.
• In Section 12, GSW is proposing increases of$2.45 to$4.50(84%) and $2.26 to$4.50
(100%, irrigation)for water usage(per 1,000 gallons) above the minimum.This is simply greed and
cannot be allowed to stand.
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• We used to own the water meters,then GSW claimed that they own them. Since they own
them now, and it is part of their service,there should NOT be a separate charge to us for the
installation and removal of the meters.
• Bottom line amongst all the smoke, mirrors, legalese attorney blather in this application is
that Gem State Water appears to be requesting a revenue increase of 80%to justify raises to
employees and hiring another part time employee. The Public Utilities Commission mission is to
control public utilizes for the benefit of the citizens of the State of Idaho, and they must exert their
authority to reign in this outrageous and unjustified rate increase. Something in the range of the
documented inflation increase for the past two years may be justified. An 80% raise of rates to the
customer is NOTjustified!
Respectfully submitted,
Nate Simmons
1655 W. Diamond Bar Road
Rathdrum, ID, 83858
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Nancy Hulce
Submission Time:Apr 1 2025 9:55AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: P O Box 235 32599 N Roberts Road Athol, ID 83801
Name of Utility Company: Gem State Water
Case ID: GSW-W-24-01
Comment: "We went from 20,000 gallons per month to 8,000 gallons per month. Now Gem State
wants to increase our water rate by 79%. NO.A 79%increase in their revenues is out of line.We are
conservative as we can be with our water use.We have high usage in the summer to protect during
fire season, my husband is a retired Forester and wildland fire fighter.We know what it takes for
Protection. Law is watered only when needed during fire season. I have raised garden beds to limit
the water use during the season.We live in the middle of the water system luckily, and in the
summer we still don't have full water pressure at times and those on the end of it have even lower
pressure. Gem State is expecting to much:'
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Barbara Geatches
Submission Time:Apr 1 2025 3:09PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 1078 West Dolan Road
Rathdrum, ID 83858
Name of Utility Company: NaturaLly41-ife
Case ID: GSW-W-24-01
Comment: "I was shocked to come home from traveling to a notice that Gem State Water is
proposing a 79% increase in fees for Bar Circle"S" in Rathdrum, ID!!! It also appears they are
reducing the number of base gallons from 7500 to 7000. Just a couple of years ago they made a
substantial increase in our rates despite the fact that they have added an entire new subdivision
and numerous other houses onto our water system which has reduced the water pressure during
the summer usage period. I would hope that such a substantial increase would be vetoed and not
approved! I truly hope that the Idaho Public Utilities Commission would not allow for such
exorbitant increases in the rates we would be required to pay.A 79%increase is in line with a loan
shark and not a respectable business! We have lived in our house for over 10 years now and I don't
recall the previous owners of our community well raising rates (and if they did it was a
nominal/moderate amount)... Since Gem State Water has taken over our water system they have
increased our rates SUBSTANTIALLY twice now and the quality of the services, including water
pressure, has declined from what we had under the previous owner. "
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i ECEIVED
3/28/2025
9025 APR - I PM 10: 03
To whom it may concern at i;h kl>tfl�ilIN Commision(PUC)/Gem State Water,
COMMISSION
I received a notice from Gem state water dated 28 Feb 2025 on or about 08 Mar
2025 notifying me of proposed rate changes by Gem State Water that is before the
Idaho Public Utilities Commission for consideration of approval(PUC case
#GSW W-24-01). This proposal, for lack of a better description, is extremely offensive
and unfair to the water consumers of North Idaho. I ask that the Idaho Public Utility
Commision protect Idaho consumers from this unfair and excessive proposal to
increase base rate by 79% while also decreasing median usage at that rate by approx
10%. This proposal when taken wholly will result in an excess of 100% increase in
overall water costs to consumers. With this nase usage allotment there will be many
months of the year where the usage will easily exceed the proposed base usage of
7000 gallons. This will result in additional charges at the inexcess rate, which is not
even shared with us in the proposal. The current rate above base allotment appears to
be $1.8084 per CCF based on my bill dated 2/20/2025.
Based on the history of water service at my address, base allotment is exceeded
approximately 50% of the time since the original rates under Spirit Lake east water and
the transition to Gem State water initial rate proposal increase was approved. After Gem
States acquisition of Spirit Lake Water the rate was raised to $35 for a reduced base
usage allotment to 10 CCF (equivalent to 7480 gallons). Website claims they charge
$35 for 10.7 CCF however they actually charge $35 for 10 CCF and claim $1.74 for
each CCF over the 10.00CF but apparently charge $1.8084 per CCF. I rarely
experienced a bill over base rate prior to Gem states acquisition. Since the acquisition
frequently, (approx 6 months/yr) have bills that exceed the base usage. The 28 Feb
2025 proposal appears to increase the rate to $62.65 per 7000 gallons usage , or 9.36
CCF. This represents a 79% increase in cost for a reduction fromthe claimed 10.7 CCF
to 9.36 CCF (a greater than 10% reduction of usage allotment). Will this actually be for
the rounded down amount of a base 9.0 CCF (6732 gallons) which is less than the 7000
gallons stated in the proposal.
These dramatic increases in cost for base usage and reductions in the base
usage allotment harm our North Idaho consumers. This proposal fails to provide what
many would regard as affordable amounts of water to support basic water needs for a
household. Further it is financially impacting consumers' decisions to enjoy the use of
their land or to provide for one's family to include growing a small garden, raising
chickens or other livestock such as cattle,if they desire. North Idaho is a predominantly
rural community with many of its consumers desire to garden or raise small amounts of
livestock. This proposal feels excessive and would appear to be indicative of greed by

the corporate conglomerate that has taken over many of our small North Idaho water
utilities. Gem State water is not even an Idaho based company, it is headquartered in
Portland, OR. It is wholly owned by another company, which is owned by yet another
company which is traded on the NYSE. These public utilities should be owned and
managed closer to the consumers, not by giant conglomerates. Sadly that is not the
case, however I believe that underscores why the Idaho PUC must be very critical in the
analysis of Gem State Water's proposal such that the citizens are protected from
corporate greed or exploitation of our precious water utilities and water resources.
I sincerely hope that the Idaho Public Utilities Commision, way heavily the many
voices of the people of North Idaho, and act to reject or dramatically reduce the
proposed rate increase while maintaining a base usage allotment to amounts that are
fair for the consumers. Possibly even pushing for a base usage allotment increase
closer to 1200 CCF or 8976 gallons to support normal water usage that would rarely
exceed the usage allotment for basic water needs.
I hope to observe a transparent and fair process as public meetings and
workshops are scheduled and conducted. It is imperative that the Idaho PUC manage
this process in a manner fair to the Idaho consumers and not just be a rubber stamp to
the Gem State Water's proposal. If done properly I am confident that Idaho PUC is
capable of arriving at an decision that is fair and equitable to all parties, I hope that is
the case.
Please contact me if any additional information is desired. My address is 400 Sky
Hawk Drive, Spirit Lake, Idaho 83869.
V/R
*Z)i -LL
Stanley Freemyers