20230331Comments (1)_1.pdf

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From: PUCWeb No�fica�on <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2023 5:00 PM
To: Jan Noriyuki <[e-mail]>
Subject: No�ce: A comment was submited to PUCWeb

The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Bridget Whitmill
Submission Time: Mar 30 2023 4:35PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 1072 Hillview Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402

Name of U�lity Company: Island Park Water Co., Inc

Case ID: ISL-W-23-01

Comment: "Hello, My name is Bridget Whitmill, my husband Jeff and I have a cabin located at 4046
Choctaw Rd, Shotgun Division, Island Park, Idaho. There are a couple of issues we have had with Dorothy
regarding our water that I would like to address. We purchased this property February 2017. At the �me
of our purchase there was a 1961 Mobile Home on the property. This home was summer use only
because of the fact that it was a mobile home. We received our Water Tariff no�ce in March with a due
date of April 1, 2017, which also stated to please pay before April 15th to avoid any late fees @ 12%.
The Tariff amount we were told we had to pay when we bought the property was $200.00 at that �me.
When we got our bill there was an addi�onal amount of $200.00 due for a total of $400.00 owed. I
called Dorothy at IP Water asking her about the addi�onal fee and she told me it was for a "hook up"
fee. I told her there was not a new water service installed, we were just changing ownership of the
property. She then told me since the previous owner didn't pay their "hook up" fee it would be our
responsibility to pay it. I told I was not going to pay an addi�onal fee, that was between you and the
previous owner, and we were not paying it. We paid the $200.00 and have not any issues regarding the
addi�onal "hook up" fee. In 2019 there was 111 inches of snow that fell in February which caused our
snow load structure over the trailer to collapse crushing it. We did build a cabin on the lot, and it was
finished ready to move in October 2020. There were no issues with the water flow un�l February 2021,
the main water line froze. I called Dorothy asking her what could be done, and she told me, these
subdivisions were built for summer�me use and we had to wait un�l spring for it to thaw. There was
nothing she could do about it. She also told me we could dig a well if we felt so inclined to do. The
problem with that is that the cost to dig a well is $35,000 to $40,000 dollars. That is not feasible at all.
We had to melt snow to flush the toilet and bought botled water for sustainability. The water thawed
about the first of May, but it came out of the faucets rusty colored and didn't run clear un�l the middle
of June. We con�nued to buy botled water because we were afraid of drinking it. We pay for a u�lity
service that con�nues to have serious issues and nothing is being done to address or resolve those
issues. All we get are excuses as to why the system is having problems and that there is nothing that can
be done about it. My ques�on is, aren't there grants available that could be applied for to help pay for
replacements of the water lines? What has she been doing with all of the Tariff fees from the 400 or so
residents that she has been collec�ng from for the last 10 or 15 years? This equates to roughly $112,000
per year that she has been collec�ng. Clearly, she is not reinves�ng the money to make the necessary
updates to a very old, broken-down water system. On the botom of the Water Tariff No�ce Dorothy has
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put a quote sta�ng: "Water is a privilege-Not a right!" I find this very offensive and ask who she thinks
she is and what right does she have to say that. Again, we pay for this water service, and it should be
func�oning properly, year-round. It is also my opinion that if Dorothy lived in Island Park, full �me, part
�me or any �me, this water problem would have been resolved a long �me ago. I appreciate the
opportunity to be able express my thoughts and opinions regarding this situa�on. Best Regards, Bridget
Whitmill"

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