20260312Comment_1.pdf

Name: Bob Rapalli
Submission Time: Jan 42026 9:43PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 179 Forest Ridge Rd
Blanchard, ID 83804
Name of Utility Company: CDS Stoneridge Utilities
Case ID: SWS-W-25-02
Comment: "As we understand it, once again, CDS Stoneridge Utilities is seeking an
exorbitant water rate increase of 43%. effective 02/01/2026. (suspended-pending)This
comes after a substantial rate increase in 2025.
A letter signed by Kyle Karupiah/CDS Stoneridge Utilities dated 12/02/2025 listed various
reasons in asking for this water rate increase. Among them legal fees incurred with the last
rate increase request, a loss of approximately$65,000 gross revenue from the Stoneridge
Golf Course and addressing deficiencies identified by DEQ. Why should any of these costs
to past onto the consumers? The Stoneridge Golf Course and CDS Utilities are owned by
the same person who surely would have known by putting wells in to irrigate the golf course
he would be losing revenue from the water(utility) company. According to the letter
mentioned above "For these reasons,you are encouraged to weigh whether the cost
incurred by the use of an intervenor, will result in the desired outcome you seek. " We are
not sure what'outcome we seek' means. Obviously a 43% increase is not in any
customer's best outcome. Businesses need to make a profit but when decisions are
made that financially impact the business and then said business wants to pass that
burden onto their customer base by price gouging it is certainly not a 'best outcome' for the
customer. "
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From: Bob and Cathryn R <[e-mail]>
Sent:Wednesday, March 11, 2026 6:04 PM
To: secretary<[e-mail]>
Cc: Kevin Maxwell<[e-mail]>
Subject: Please add this to our comment
Could you please add the attached letter(2 pages)to our Case Comment for Case No.
SWS-W-25-02.
Thankyou,
Bob and Cathryn Rapalli
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December 2,2025
To: Stuart Van Horn,SPOA President
Cindy Thomas,JMBCA
Subject:Notice of Filing Application to Increase Rates for CDS StoneRidge Utilities,LLC
On December 1,2025,CDS StoneRidge Utilities("the water company")has filed an application
with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission(IPUC),case No.SWS-W-25-02,requesting that the
Commission grant it permission to increase the minimum monthly user fees and commodity
fees to become effective February 1,2026.This filing is subject to public review and an IPUC
decision before it can take effect.
The water company wishes to make you aware that this filing has just taken place.In the rate
case application,CDS StoneRidge Utilities LLC is proposing an overall revenue increase of 43%
be applied to all classes of customers(all meter sizes)plus a minimal CPI increase in rent and
labor.This change would equate to an increase of$10.61/month for users with a%inch meter.
In order for the water company to operate in a manner that allows it to continue to supply
clean,safe drinking water to all its consumers,it must pursue this application which addresses
primarily three issues:
1) Required CDS StoneRidge Utilities corrective actions resulting from significant
deficiencies identified by the Department of Environmental Quality(DEQ)when a
sanitary survey of the CDS StoneRidge Utilities water system was performed on July 17,
2025.(The Idaho Rules for Public Drinking Water Systems require sanitary surveys of
water systems every 3 to 5 years).The significant cost drivers resulting from the survey
were:
(a)the need to repair a leak in the storage reservoir tank,
(b)the need for auxiliary(back-up)power at the primary wellhouse for continuous
operation of the water system in the event of a power outage which could potentially
cause system depressurization resulting in contamination of the drinking water,
(c)the need to install a means to isolate the storage facility without causing a loss in
pressure in the distribution system when a tank is taken offline for cleaning and repairs,
(d)professional cleaning of water storage tanks,ensuring public health is protected.
2) To make up for the loss of approximately$65,000 in gross revenue from the StoneRidge
Golf Course irrigation system.The Golf Course—a significant consumer of the CDS
StoneRidge Utilities water system—has installed its own well and will no longer be
purchasing 40%of the annual gross water volume that is currently sold by CDS
StoneRidge Utilities LLC.
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3) To address the DEQ loan that CDS StoneRidge Utilities LLC acquired from Bridge Partners,
the previous owner of the water system,in November 2018.The DEQ loan is currently in
default due to the previous owner's decision to not apply funds collected to the existing
debt and due to CDS StoneRidge Utilities inability to apply funds to this loan once the
debt was uncovered at the expiration of the Happy Valley surcharge,because there was
a shortfall in funds being collected from the water system customers.
CDS StoneRidge Utilities has been in negotiations with DEQ to extend the loan maturity
date.The account has been accelerated from a 30-year recovery period to a 7-year
amortization schedule by the water company,to provide solvency to service the revised
loan payment.Based on this schedule,the loan maturity date would be extended 17
months,making the loan payoff date June 1,2029.
CDS StoneRidge Utilities LLC believes it prudent to share with you that in the previous rate case
submittal,a considerable amount of money was spent on legal fees as a result of intervenors
that opted to participate in the legal proceedings.Intervenors are typically involved in cases
such as this,when they believe they could potentially have a significant impact in the case's
outcome(i.e.:reduce the impact of the rate case application to its users).
The cost of intervenors,in the 2025 CDS StoneRidge Utilities LLC rate case,was a staggering
$31,000.This cost,as you may or may not be aware,is passed on to the water system consumer
as an allowable expense,as a rate case line item in a follow-on rate case.For these reasons,you
are encouraged to weigh whether the cost incurred by the use of an intervenor,will result in the
desired outcome you seek.
As a part of this overall process,CDS StoneRidge Utilities LLC wishes to propose a settlement
conference take place where the data is presented to all parties and we could amicably work
through our differences and come to a joint agreement that generally works for all those
impacted.
A copy of our application will be on file and available for inspection at the IPUC office in Boise
on December 1,2025 or very soon thereafter,and online at the Commission website:
www.puc.idaho.eov.
If you have questions or wish further explanation of the information contained herein,please
don't hesitate to reach out to Kyle Karupiah at [e-mail].
Sincerely,
xt* �aw#44
CDS StoneRidge Utilities,LLC
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