20220804Comments(5)_5.pdf

From:PUCWeb Notification
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Thursday, August 4, 2022 7:00:07 AM
The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Thomas and Gossard
Submission Time: Aug 3 2022 7:02PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 28239 N Silver Meadows Lp
Athol, ID 83801-8726
Name of Utility Company: Bitterroot
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "Jan Noriyuki Commission Secretary ldaho Public Utilities Commission PO Box83720 Boise, lD 83720-0074 Re: GSW-W-22-01: ln the matter of the Application of Gem
State Water Company, LLC for an Order Authorizing increase in the Company's Rates andCharges for Water Service in the State of Idaho. Dear Commission Secretary Noriyuki, Gem
State Water Company has filed an application with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission toincrease the Terms, Rates and Charges for Water Service. We have received, what I assume is
the required Notice from the Gem State Water, (hereafter referred to herein as Applicant),however the information contained therein appears incomplete. They provide a chart with the
proposed rates indicating it is necessary for, “…operating and maintaining the water systemswhich have escalated in recent years.” They then make the brazen statement that it will, “…
increase the Company’s revenues by $402,000 which represents an increase in the Company’srevenues by 69%. There is also the statement that the proposed raise in rates is for funding the
Applicants consolidation and aligning the different systems into one. Why should we beresponsible for that? I am curious about the new properties that have hooked into the systems
in the past few years. Are we expected to pay for the time and equipment in providing servicefor these new homes? Are current customers responsible for the upgraded equipment for new
properties? Is there a first time hook up for these properties that the developer must pay,impact fees? In reviewing the application on the PUC website it is concerning that there are
additional requests the Applicant failed to disclose, specifically the decrease in the minimumcustomer volume and the increase in charge per 1000 gallons after reaching the minimum
customer volume. These two items are rather important. Were we going to be notified ofthis? When? Is this not a requirement of the PUC to notify those who use the system of “all”
intended changes contained in the Application? Why was this important information omittedfrom our notice? When the Bitterroot system was purchased by Applicant there were several
improvements that were to take place. Have they been completed? I do know they claimedthey upgraded the generator which would prevent the water system from going down during a
power failure. This has not been done. If there is a power failure, they still must sendsomeone to the location to start the generator. Appears to me that whatever upgrade they claim
they did is not working. Further, the water usage in the winter months, usuallyOctober/November through April/May, often the meters are not accessible, we are charged the
minimum monthly fee. During these months the water usage is normally minimal as there isno yard or garden watering. However, if you do not reach that minimum usage, we have never
received a refund. During these low usage months am I paying for water that I am not using? Is this pure profit for the company? Our household, retired seniors, living on a fixed income,
this request from Applicant to increase their total revenues by just short of a half milliondollars is repulsive and greedy. We are not against raising the basic fee a reasonable amount
without cutting our minimum allowed volume or increasing our per 1000-gallon fee. A10%,15% increase is reasonable, anything more is just plain price gouging. With that in mind,
I am hereby requesting an open forum so that the residents have the opportunity to be a part ofthe process of the Application of Gem State Water. The customers have the right to be heard
prior to any decisions to raise “our” rates and make the changes which were omitted from theirNotice. Those affected by this have all been in communication and agree we should have a say
in this process and would appreciate notification of a date, time and location of said requestedhearing. Thank you. Tom & Stephanie Gossard"
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Name: William Branson
Submission Time: Aug 3 2022 10:16PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 32641 N Roberts Rd
Athol, ID 83801
Name of Utility Company: Gem state water
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "This more then double of my monthly rates is inexcusable. There have been noupgrades to our area. Even if there werw upgrades performed that doesn't provide an adequate
reason for cutting our base rate by a third from 15k to 10k on top of the outrageous increasemonthly.....this stinks like a money grab plain and simple."
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Name: george abelhanz
Submission Time: Aug 3 2022 7:56PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 1814 w diamond bar rd
rathdrum, ID 83858
Name of Utility Company: Gem State Water
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "We feel that the Public Utilities Commission should hold public hearingseparately with each of the listed water costumers. I have several questions concerning the
adding of separate water meter charges based on the meter sizes. When Diamond Bar Estateswas developed there were two separate water connections for each of the 5 acre lots from the
same water line, 1 inch and 2 inch. The 2 inch is referred to as the “irrigation” connection.From the start these connections were billed at different water rates. House connection was
metered whereas the irrigation connection was a yearly flat rate cost. This was changed in June of 2003, as a result of the Public Utilities Commission hearing, water case GNR-W-02-3.
It was at this time both meters were read, and usage was combined for billing. It appears to me that Gem State Water is purposing to go back to separated billing once again. On page 4,
under Rate Base, 2nd paragraph talks about the investment of new well and pumping equipment for the Diamond Bar System. One can argue that the construction of a backup well
was a requirement being the current backup well was on private property and would not be accessible after a period of time. Water case BCS-W-19-01/DIA-W-19-01. On page 6, under
Rate Design, 2nd paragraph talks about proposing Bar Circle “S” and Diamond Bar into a single schedule for recurring charges. Does that mean water charges will be the same in both
neighborhoods?"
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From:PUCWeb Notification
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Thursday, August 4, 2022 3:00:07 PM
The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Barbara Geatches
Submission Time: Aug 4 2022 2:21PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 1078 W Dolan Road
Rathdrum, ID 83858
Name of Utility Company: Gem State Water Company
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "I was appalled to receive a letter recently from Gem State Water companyrequesting a 28% increase in fees for Bar Circle S users. Their proposal says if the proposed
increase is approved it will amount to an increase of annual revenue of 69.9% for Gem StateWater Company!!! That’s excessive even by irresponsible government spending standards!!!
The detailed breakdown of costs does not justify the increase. Many of the items on thebreakdown are one time fees and yet they are looking for a permanent ongoing increase for the
customers and end users. In addition more and more houses and developments are being addedonto their client base which will naturally increase the amount of money they are receiving on
a monthly basis. When we bought our home in Bar Circle S the covenants clearly stated thatthe Bar Circle Water company was to service ONLY those homes in Bar Circle S. The
previous owner violated those covenants by adding on additional homes and developmentsand then sold the company to Gem State Water Company just as another huge housing
development was being built and added onto the Bar Circle S water system. We have a waterbasis allocation of 7500 gallons a month at a base rate of $27.43…. Any water exceeding 7500
gallons is billed per every partial 1000 gallon overage. I don’t know of anyone in my community who exceeds the 7500 gallons a month during the off season months of (October
through April) when sprinkler systems are turned off and yet Gem Water State does not provide any kind of credit for the unused gallons towards summer month usage. And now they
want an increase across the board. I oppose the increase and do not think the information they provided in their proposal justifies the increased fees. "
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From:PUCWeb Notification
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Thursday, August 4, 2022 4:00:07 PM
The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: David Weesner
Submission Time: Aug 4 2022 3:13PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 1383 W Garwood Rd
Rathdrum, ID 83858
Name of Utility Company: Gem State Water
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "My neighbors and I recently received a notice in the mail from Gem State Water indicating they have applied for rate increases for our water. Seeing that this company has
purchased our smaller water company along with others in the area in the recent years (3 years or less) I feel this increase is poorly founded on their account they have been replacing
infrastructure and by doing so have taken on losses. Clearly this is a cash grab to obtain immediate profits from their purchase, and to further water services to newer housing projects
and future projects with little cost to their company, and Would recommend that this increases be declined. Any new projects should be charged to the builders of new complexes. We have
not seen any water infrastructure improvements in the area beyond a water main repair. They have also tried to limit our water use in the area by implementing every other day schedules
last year, while we know water supply was not the issue, rumor has it they were allowing outside companies to fill up trucks of water, and speculation and rumor. Again I urge
whomever is in charge of the application for Gem State Water to disagree with their request. Lets keep our area affordable, especially as many of us have livestock and larger than 5 acre
plots to maintain. This will allow us to maintain a greener area (less fire danger) and allow those to keep their livestock without any further burden by the greed of Gem State Water. I
appreciate your time!"
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