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Home My WebLink Aboutwater.pdf - Idaho Water Utilities The Idaho Public Utilities Commission regulates 27 privately operated water companies varying from United Water Idaho with more than 70,000 customers to utilities serving a few homes in residential subdivisions or mobile home parks. Regulated companies comprise less than 1 percent of about 2,600 systems that supply drinking water to Idahoans. Most of the unregulated systems belong to and are run without profit by homeowners’ associations. Many others are municipal systems operated by local governments. The rates listed are strictly representative of residential customers and may not reflect actual rates paid by a specific customer. (nm) means non-metered, (m) is metered. Date Name No. of Hook-up Mo. Residential Rates1 Rates Last of Utility CustomersFee (unless otherwise noted) Revised Bar Circle “S” 129 $750 $15/0-7,500 gallons 02/01/90 Water Inc. 95 cents/1,000 gals. over 7,500 Bitterroot 117 $750 $20/0-15,000 gallons 08/23/03 Water Co. 75 cents/1,000 gals. over 15,000 Brian Water Co. 46 $10.50/0-4,000 gallons 05/01/99 $1.08/1,000 gals. over 4,000 Capitol Water 2,863 $12.92/mo Oct-April (nm) 01/01/04 $24.32/mo May-Sept (nm) Country Club 129 $500 $17/0-30,000 gallons 07/01/05 Hills Utilities 60 cents/1,000 gals. over 30,000 Eagle Water 2,889 $845 $7.84/0-600 cf. 03/25/87 Co., Inc. 45 cents/100 cf. over 600 cf. Evergreen 33 $600 $15/0-7,500 gallons 11/10/87 Water Co. $0.35/1,000 gals. over 7,500 Falls Water 2,688 $500 $11.50/0-20,000 gallons 12/15/03 Co., Inc. 41 cents/1,000 gals. over 20,000 Algoma Water 25 $17.59/mo. 05/06/02 Grouse Point Water Co. 23 $22/0-8,000 gallons 09/01/99 50 cents/1,000gals over 8,000 Diamond Bar Estates 72 $21.00 first 7,500 gallons 07/30/04 45 cents per 1,000 gallons over 7,500 --PAGE 33-- Name No. of Hook-up Mo. Residential Rates1 Rates Last of Utility CustomersFee (unless otherwise noted) Revised Aspen Creek Water 20 $25 first 15,000 gallons 09/25/02 $1 per 1,000 gals over 15,000 Happy Valley 24 $500 $27.00/0-20,000 gallons 08/03/01 Water System $0.70/1,000 over 20,000 gals. Island Park 259 $125/yr. 07/01/92 Water Co. Morning View 84 1/4 acre - $22/mo. 09/01/02 Water Co., Inc. 1/2 acre - $28.45/mo 1 acre - $35.70/mo Murray Water 25 $800 $26/mo. 07/15/03 Works Packsaddle Estates 35 $430 $34.24/mo. 06/03/96 Water Co. Picabo Livestock 39 $500 Summer: $41/mo. 07/01/04 Co. Winter: $22/mo. Ponderosa 32 $2,500 full time - $48/mo 07/01/03 Terrace Estates part time - $25/mo Rickel Water Co. 27 $6,000 $30/0-15,000 gallons 04/25/97 $1.10/1,000 gals. over 15,000 gals. Spirit Lake 293 $1,200 $12/0-9,000 gallons 06/09/04 East Water Co. $1/1,000 gals. over 9,000 gals. Stoneridge 166 $925 $14 +$0.30/1000 gallons 4/05/02 Water Co. For all consumption Sunbeam 22 $12/0-12,000 gallons 05/31/83 Water Co. $1.20/1,000 gals. over 12,000 gals. Troy Hoffman 144 $458 $5.50/0-3,000 gallons 08/01/96 Water Co. 60 cents/1,000 gals. over 3,000 gals. United Water 75,400 Summer: $14.60/bimonthly 09/02/05 Idaho $1.3581/100cf Winter: $14.60/bimonthly $1.0865/100cf --PAGE 34-- Name No. of Hook-up Mo. Residential Rates1 Rates Last of Utility CustomersFee (unless otherwise noted) Revised Resort Water Co. 287 $44.80/month 03/15/05 Terra Grande Water 117 $13 plus $0.9825 per 100cf winter $1.228 per 100cf summer Water companies seek significant increases Several water companies, including the state’s largest, sought significant increases during 2005, most because of new wells or expansion to accommodate increasing customers. In August, United Water, which serves about 75,400 customers in Ada and Canyon counties, was allowed an approximate 7.68 increase after initially requesting 22 percent and then revising its request to 18 percent. The company petitioned the commission for reconsideration on some issues. The commission denied most of United Water’s petition but did grant some changes that brought the overall increase up to 8.08 percent. Not satisfied with the commission’s ultimate decision, United Water is appealing to the state Supreme Court. Expenses related to rapid customer growth, including construction of the $28 million Columbia Water Treatment Plant, prompted the rate increase request. United Water stated it has gained 10,000 customers and its operating costs have increased by $4.7 million since its last rate increase in 2000. United Water was allowed an increase of $2,435,516 in its annual revenues. The company originally requested $6.77 million and then modified its request to $5.6 million. United Water was allowed a return on equity of 10.3 percent and a cost of debt of 6.675 percent. The company sought 11.1 percent return on equity and a 6.9 percent cost of debt. The overall rate of return is 8.357 percent. The company originally sought 8.93 percent. The commission denied United Water’s request for a 36 percent increase in its bi-monthly service charge from $14.47 to $19.86. The commission said the company’s current customer service charge is sufficient to recover customer costs related to meter reading and billing. The commission approved a water bill assistance program for low-income customers and a small summer block rate that allows customers to pay the non-summer rate (25 percent less than the summer rate) on the first 300 cubic feet (2,244 gallons) of bi-monthly use during the summer months. An average household uses about 10,750 gallons for indoor use over a two-month period, according to the American Water Works Association Research Foundation. --PAGE 35-- Read more about United water rate case, UWI-W-04-04: http://www.puc.state.id.us/internet/press/080305_UWIratecasefinal.htm http://www.puc.state.id.us/internet/press/092005_UniWtreconsidr.htm Bitterroot Water Company, which serves about 117 households near Athol, is requesting an increase in its metered base rates from $20 per month to $45. The commission has yet to rule on the matter. The company claims the increase is needed to offset increasing costs associated with the operation, maintenance and capital improvements to its water system. Bitterroot contends that in the last 12 months the water system has been upgraded to maintain compliance with increasingly tougher government standards for water quality. At year’s end, the commission was also considering a request by Falls Water Company of rural Idaho Falls for a 48.2 percent increase it says is needed to keep up with the increasing costs of operations and maintenance and to replace its aging infrastructure. The commission allowed Eagle Water Company authority to collect a one-year 42.5 percent surcharge on water use above 600 cubic-feet per month to recover expenses the company incurred to make immediate repairs to its system. The surcharge will collect up to $160,389, but the commission is withholding final judgment on $40,000 of that total to further examine whether customers should be charged for a water line that had to be replaced due to a construction mishap. If that $40,000 is withheld from recovery, the duration of the one- year surcharge will be shortened. Eagle Water, a private company that is not the same as the City of Eagle’s municipal water service, sought a three-year 40.85 percent surcharge, which would have collected $517,477 to allow the company to drill a new well as well as pay the cost of the recent repairs and an engineering study. But the commission denied that large of a recovery, saying an engineering report should be completed before authorizing cost recovery of major infrastructure projects. The surcharge that the commission will allow pays for immediate improvements and the engineering study. --PAGE 36-- Read more about Bitterroot Water request, BIT-W-05-01, at: http://www.puc.state.id.us/internet/press/102005_BitterRootWtr.htm Falls Water request, FLS-W-05-01, at: http://www.puc2.idaho.gov/intranet/cases/water/FLS/FLSW0501/ordn otc/20051128NOTICE_OF_APPLICATION.PDF Eagle Water surcharge, EAG-W-05-02, at: http://www.puc.state.id.us/internet/press/110105_EagWater.htm