20221215Comments(5)_5.pdf

From:PUCWeb Notification
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Thursday, December 15, 2022 7:00:19 AM
The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Jake Craner
Submission Time: Dec 14 2022 7:17PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 4780 N Troy St
Coeur d Alene, ID 83815
Name of Utility Company: Gem State Water Company
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "As a residential homeowner in the Troy Hoffman water district, I ask you toreview the increases included in this case. Here are the numbers as proposed: Last rate
increase - 2014 Current Monthly rate - $27.50 Proposed monthly rate - $35.00 (27% increase)Monthly allowance - 20,000 Proposed monthly allowance - 10,000 (50% decrease) Current
overage per 1kgal - $1.12 Proposed overage per 1kgal - $4.15 (270% increase) We seem tohave been hit especially hard, despite living in an established, large lot district. These
proposed changes will impact our ability to garden, maintain our established landscaping, andseems grossly misaligned with one of the main drivers for our choice to live in Northern Idaho
- The availability of fresh water. Thank you for your time and consideration. "
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Name: Raynae WebbSubmission Time: Dec 14 2022 5:33PM
Email: [e-mail]: 208-818-8883
Address: 5145 n. Anne stCda, ID 83815
Name of Utility Company: Gem state water
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "Good evening, I was informed by a concerned neighbor that we (Troy Hoffman
Water neighbors) Gem state water held a public meeting and didn’t inform any of the actualcustomers of Gem state when that meeting was held, which I believe was in November. The
proposed increase is outrages, it’s also unreasonable to lower our water consumption by10,000 gallons. I can understand a small increase in a monthly rate and also a small rate hike,
but seriously a 269% rate hike is totally out of the question. Where do these numbers comefrom? I do know they put in new meters this year but as far as maintenance of the well house
grounds and security of the well house has not been what it has been with previous owners.The gate is left unlocked and wide open numerous times, anyone can get to our water. The
well house lot is barely mowed and has dandelions a foot high. My water pressure is very low at several points through out the day but especially in the morning. Also there is a lot of air in
the lines. Until recently it has been very hard to get ahold of anyone in the local office as they had very short business hours. Please look into this before just giving the go ahead. Thank you
for your time Raynae Webb 12-13-22"
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From:PUCWeb Notification
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Thursday, December 15, 2022 2:00:07 PM
The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Colin Webber
Submission Time: Dec 15 2022 1:09PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 5110 N 4th Street
Coeur dAlene, ID 83815
Name of Utility Company: Troy Hoffman Water
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "I understand that the new owner of Hoffman Water (Gem State Water) hasrequested a rate increase for our water supply. While an increase is understandable with the
upgrades they intend to make, I think their request is excessive and unreasonable with thewater over 20,000 gallons going from $1.12 to $4.15. They also intend to lower the bi-
monthly allowance from 20,000 gallons to 10,000 gallons. This to is excessive.. Thank you forexamining these large rate increases... Colin Webber"
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Name: Colin Webber
Submission Time: Dec 15 2022 1:10PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 5110 N 4th Street
Coeur dAlene, ID 83815
Name of Utility Company: Troy Hoffman Water
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "I understand that the new owner of Hoffman Water (Gem State Water) hasrequested a rate increase for our water supply. While an increase is understandable with the
upgrades they intend to make, I think their request is excessive and unreasonable with thewater over 20,000 gallons going from $1.12 to $4.15. They also intend to lower the bi-
monthly allowance from 20,000 gallons to 10,000 gallons. This to is excessive.. Thank you forexamining these large rate increases... Colin Webber"
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Name: Dustin DiBiase
Submission Time: Dec 15 2022 1:19PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 4795 N Troy St
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815
Name of Utility Company: Gem State Water Company
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "Good Morning, First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to review and consider all comments made by the homeowners that receive their water via the Gem State
Water Company well. I find it very surprising that a local utility company can even be sold to a company that is out of county, let alone out of state. When sales like that happen, rates
obviously increase because the out of state purchaser has no ties to the community in which they are supplying. I don’t understand why the City of Coeur d’Alene didn’t absorb the Troy
Hoffman water company when it was for sale. We fall well within city limits and already pay them for sewer, storm runoff, street lights and garbage. Secondly, a normal rate increase is
understandable because everything costs more to run these days. Especially if they are updating equipment. There has been no mention to any updating of equipment or fixing
current issues with the well. I know a that a lot of us have bad water pressure randomly throughout the day. I also have 2 water meters on my property in the easement. One of them is
encased in a proper concrete water meter box, while the other is just an open hole in the ground with a plywood lid and is a safety concern for children and pets. These are just some
the problems that need to be addressed. The rate increases that they are suggesting are way higher than just a routine utility cost increase. The base rate price of $27.50 for 20,000 gallons
to $35.00 would be understandable. When Gem State took over they already dropped the base from 20,000 gallons to 15,000 gallons. Now they want to increase the base pay while cutting
from 15,000 gallons down to 10,000. Then on top of that raising the per 1,000 gallon charge over the base from $1.12 to $4.15. For an example I have a water bill for 6/30/22 to 8/31/22 of
this year which is 36466.40 gallons used bc our sprinklers were running and our bill was$65.55. Under the previous company Troy Hoffman for the same period the year before we
used more water 39,000 gallons for the 2 months and our bill was $59.98. That seems like a reasonable increase to me. Under the proposed terms our $59.58 bill turned $65.55 will turn
into $151.52. That is unacceptable. Thank you again for your time, and thorough review. -Dustin DiBiase 4795 N Troy St Coeur dAlene, Idaho 83815 If you would like to review any of
my previous water bills I will happily submit them. "
From:PUCWeb Notification
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Thursday, December 15, 2022 5:00:06 PM
The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Larry Bieber
Submission Time: Dec 15 2022 4:34PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 5133 N Ezy St.
Coeur Adlene, ID 83815
Name of Utility Company: Troy Hoffman Water
Case ID: GSW-W-22-01
Comment: "We have had water provided to our home for 47 years by the Hoffman Water Company and though they raised the rates on several occasions, this proposed rate increase by
Gem State Water Company seems EXCESSIVE ! Please examine their proposal and determine if such a drastic increase is plausible and fair. Thanks for your consideration in this
matter, Larry & Eileen Bieber"
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