20250630Comment_1.pdf

The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Greg Schacher
Submission Time: Jun 27 2025 12:28PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 4835 N Troy
Coeurdalene, ID 83815
Name of Utility Company: Gem State Water
Case ID: GSW-W-24-01
Comment: "Dear Commissioner, we appreciate the work you and the PUC staff does. I
hope you will take my comments under review: We are on the Troy Hoffman well inside the
Coeur d'Alene city limits. GSW has done a good job keeping the water service flowing with
very little downtime. In regards to the rate increase proposal; 5000 gallons is too low of a
base. Our usage is 5000 gallons in the dead of winter. 7500 is a conservative target rate for
a city lot. Base Rates before Gem state became operator were for 2 months not per 1
month like it is now.That increase to monthly billing in itself was 100%. New proposed rate
is looking like another 50% and that is under the staff proposal; not GSW; 150% increase
over just the last few years seems very high and unreasonable. For example; August of
2024, our bill would have been 64% higher under the staff comments proposal; almost
$400! Our neighbors on the city utility water would have only paid $142 for the same
amount of usage. I understand Gem State needs to be able to operate in the black but this
proposed increase in comparison to the rest of the community is very high. Please do not
approve the rate increase in any capacity at this time. More outreach and transparency are
requested by GSW before this should be considered. Thank you"
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