20080521Comment.pdf

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5/21/20086:36:16 AM CASE NO: ISL-W-08-01
To: Idaho Public Utilties Commission
Re: Island Park Water Company, Inc
Concern: Wants authority to increase rates and charges for water
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John and Pamela Staord
Valley View Subdivision 5138 W. Rees Drive Island Park, Idaho 83429
Please read this reply at your public workshop on 6/10/2008.
We oppose any rate increase based on the last three years of trying to communicate and
work with Island Park Water Company to provide minimum service to our cabin and the
three lots that we own. We are extremely concerned about our water service and that of
our neighbors. When neighbors do not have water, fingers point and tempers rise.
1) Island Park Water Company has not been able to provide adequate water flow at any
time on many different occasions. (No service was provided or repairs made at any time)
2) On several different occasions our cabin had no water and it was impossible to
occupy. They were contacted each time by phone/fax and e-maiL. No service was
provided. Their advice: Purchase a large tan and pump so we'll have water and a
pressured flow. Cost to us was over 2,000.00. Unable to stay in our cabin: priceless.
3) We are able to document numerous times when we have communcated the troubles
and possible solutions with Island Park Water Company and received no service, no
water and no verbal or written response. Valley View Subdivision was neglected.
4) We are concerned that this is the same company associated with Mr. Benton (President
of Benton Engineering) that miss-drilled one of their wells (90 feet off their "approved"
sureyed mark) onto our propert. So who owns our well? Legal documents wil show
this flagrant mistake. Cost to us to prove error was $1.200.00 for surey
5) We have upgraded our water lines (permission given by Mr. Benton so to increase our
pressure and flow) leading to our cabin 5138 W Rees Drive and wereforced to paYfor
the water lines at the last moment. So who owns these water pipes? Our deed was
wrtten to read that Island Park Water Company will provide and maintain lines at their
expense but this is absolutely not the way this company operates. Mr. Benton says one
thing and does another at our expense. Cost to us was over $3,500.00 for lines and labor.
Legal fees $3,800.00.
6) Island Park Water Company physically approved site, selected labor and hooked up
our thee other lots. We were only responsible to hook up each cabin from where they
should have brought the line into each lot (10'). Sadly to say, somehow we ended up
paying for the labor and water lines to each of these three lots. So who owns these water
lines? Cost to us was $2,000.00
7) This company has not put any money into the water system in over thirty years except
to have the water tested, which is regulated by law.
Again, we believe that Island Park Water Co. must absolutely be regulated to provide
adequate service, which they have not provided for over thirty years, before they are
granted permission to increase their rates and charges for water service. They must clean
up their track record and prove they can provide good service and safe water
immediately. No extra charge! ZERO!