20221223_Veolia to Staff Attachment - Response to No. 126.pdf

VEO-W-22-02 IPUC DR 126 Page 1 of 1
VEOLIA WATER IDAHO, INC. CASE VEO-W-22-02 THIRD PRODUCTION REQUEST OF THE COMMISSION STAFF
Preparer/Sponsoring Witness: Cary REQUEST NO. 126:
Please provide an update on the Veolia Cares program. Please explain any changes to the
program since 2020. Please include monthly and annual data for calendar year 2020, 2021, and
2022 to date by Company contributions, customer contributions, total dollar amount awarded to
customers, total number of customers assisted, and total amount provided to El-Ada for
administration.

RESPONSE NO. 126:
As a result of the Company’s 2020 Rate Case outcome and subsequent change in rates,
the annual cap of financial assistance available per qualified customer has changed from $75 to
$85 to reflect the overall 8.57% increase in tariff rates. While the Commission Order phased-in
rates over two years, the Company reflected the full increase in the low-income financial
assistance cap right away.
The name of the program also changed from SUEZ Cares to Veolia Cares in 2022 as a
result of the rebranding and Company name change. There have been no other changes in the
Company’s low-income financial assistance program.
Originally as noted in Order 29838 in case UWI-W-04-4 the assistance amount was set to
$50 per customer annually. In 2011 the amount was increased to $65 per UWI-W-11-02
Settlement. It was raised to $75 in 2016 in UWI-W-15-01 Settlement and thereafter would
continue to increase by any subsequent general rate proceeding percentage change awarded. In
2018 as result of the Tax Cuts Job Act which reduced income tax rates, the tariff rates charged to
customers were reduced, however the Company did not reduce the $75 assistance amount.
Please see the Attachment for Veolia Cares Financial assistance provided to customers.
The Company has not received any customer contributions to the program in several
years.
El-Ada has not billed the Company for their administration fee since 2017. The Company
does not have a written agreement on file for the El-Ada Administrative fee, but it was
previously billed as a 10% fee of the amount of financial contributions awarded for the
year. The Company has requested invoices from El-Ada. There is no cost for this service
reflected in the Company’s operating costs for this rate filing.
VEO-W-22-02
IPUC DR 126
Attachment
Page 1 of 1
Count of Customers who received Veolia Cares Financial Assistance (Per TASK0115715)
YEAR 2020 2021 2022 Total Count Total Amount
Month
Count of Customers
who received Veolia
Cares Financial Customers
Count of Customers
who received Veolia
Cares Financial Customers
Count of Customers
who received Veolia
Cares Financial Customers
Count of Customers
who received Veolia
Cares Financial Financial
1 16 1,160.02$ 23 1,589.96$ 6 505.07$ 45 3,255.05$
2 17 1,068.36$ 21 1,573.62$ 6 463.70$ 44 3,105.68$ 3 8 510.41$ 14 890.80$ 6 394.99$ 28 1,796.20$
4 9 494.74$ 5 365.65$ 5 413.00$ 19 1,273.39$
5 1 75.00$ 8 571.43$ 2 157.64$ 11 804.07$
6 10 671.47$ 11 827.55$ 4 301.17$ 25 1,800.19$ 7 11 783.68$ 17 1,393.35$ 7 513.45$ 35 2,690.48$
8 28 1,981.37$ 15 1,213.89$ 2 124.28$ 45 3,319.54$
9 29 2,103.40$ 26 2,006.84$ 3 255.00$ 58 4,365.24$
10 30 2,250.00$ 19 1,615.00$ 49 3,865.00$ 11 38 2,753.13$ 31 2,483.48$ 7 487.15$ 76 5,723.76$
12 27 1,910.86$ 10 848.72$ 1 85.00$ 38 2,844.58$
Grand Total 224 15,762.44$ -$ 200 15,380.29$ -$ 49 3,700.45$ -$ 473 34,843.18$
-$ -$ -$ -$