NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PROPOSED SEWER AND WATER RATE INCREASE FOR
LUBECK PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT
The Wood County Commission will be holding a Public Hearing on Monday, May 18, 2023 at 10:15 A.M. in the Fort Boreman Room of the Judge Donald F. Black Annex located at 317 Market Street, Parkersburg, WV. The Wood County Commission will discuss proposed water and sewer rate increases requested by both the Lubeck Public Service District and the Claywood Park Public Service District.
David Blair Couch, President
Wood County Commission
NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGE IN WATER RATES
The board of the Lubeck Public Service District (“District”) has on April 13, 2023, determined that the District’s water system at present rates cannot meet the statutory cash working capital reserve fund requirement, and approved a nine (9) percent across-the-board increase in rates for water service to enable the District to meet the statutory cash working capital reserve fund requirement, meet increased operating expenses, and pay debt service on a loan to improve the District’s physical plant.
The approved increased rates have been forwarded to the Wood County Commission for its consideration pursuant to W.Va. Code §§ 16-13A-9(a)(2)(E) and 24-2-11. The Wood County Commission has until May 29, 2023 to approve, modify, or reject the increased rates. If the Wood County Commission takes no action by May 29, 2023, the District Board approved rates will become effective for all service rendered after May 29, 2023 by operation of law. The District has asked the Wood County Commission to make the increased rates effective immediately following approval by the Wood County Commission. The District provides water service to over 4,800 customers in Wood County.
The District board approved rates are projected to generate only $4,268 annually in unrestricted cash surplus on $2,640,281 of annual revenue.
The District Board approved the following rates:
APPLICABILITY
Applicable within entire territory served.
AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE
Available for general domestic, commercial and industrial water service.
(I) RATES (customers with metered water supply)
First 5,000 gallons used per month $11.39 per 1,000 gallons
Next 95,000 gallons used per month $ 8.58 per 1,000 gallons
All Over 100,000 gallons used per month $ 4.77 per l,000 gallons
(I) MINIMUM CHARGES
No bill will be rendered for less than the following amount, depending on the size of the meter service of the customer:
5/8 inch meter $ 22.78 per month
3/4 inch meter $ 34.17 per month
1 inch meter $ 56.95 per month
2 inch meter $ 182.24 per month
3 inch meter $ 364.48 per month
4 inch meter $ 569.50 per month
6 inch meter $ 1,139.00 per month
RETURNED CHECK CHARGE
A service charge equal to the actual bank fee assessed to the water utility up to a maximum of $25.00 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank due to insufficient funds.
PRIVATE FIRE PROTECTION
Where connections, hydrants, sprinklers, etc., on private property are maintained by consumer.
4-inch service line with hydrants, sprinklers, major hose connections $10.68
6-inch service line with hydrants, sprinklers, and/or hose connections $16.77
8-inch service line with hydrants, sprinklers, and/or hose connections $21.35
10 – inch service line with hydrants, sprinklers, and/or hose connections $25.91
(I)-Indicates Increase
SPECIAL FIRE PROTECTION CHARGE
Where connections, hydrants, sprinklers, etc., on private property are maintained by the consumer requiring cycling of pumps to maintain system:
Non-Static Connection $135.70 per month
(I) HAULING TAP CHARGES
Water purchased at the District office hauling tap shall be dispensed at a charge of $0.30
(thirty cents) per 100 gallons.
DELAYED PAYMENT, PENALTY
The above tariff is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, ten percent (10%) will
be added to all net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest
arid is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
RECONNECTION FEE – $30.00
To be charged whenever the supply of water is turned off for violations of rules, non-payment of bills or fraudulent use of water.
SURCHARGE
$4.00 per 1,000 gallons billed for a period not to exceed the total repayment of the WV DWTRF Bond for customers in the Belleville water project extension area funded by this loan.
SURCHARGE
$3.50 per 1,000 gallons billed for a period not to exceed the total repayment of the Rural Utility Service Loan dated December 21, 2009, and amended on June 14, 2010, for customers in the Wadesville water project extension funded by this loan.
(C) TAP FEE
The following charges are to be made whenever the utility installs a new tap to serve an applicant:
A tap fee of $100.00 will be charged to customers applying for service before construction
is completed adjacent to the customer’s premise in connection with a publicly financed project. This pre-construction tap fee will be invalid after the completion of construction adjacent to an applicant’s premises that is associated with a publicly financed project.
A tap fee of $500.00 will be charged to all customers who apply for service outside of a
publicly- financed project for each new tap to the system.
(I) INCREMENTAL LEAK ADJUSTMENT
$0.75 per 1,000 gallons is to be used when the bill reflects unusual consumption which can
be attributed to eligible leakage on the customer’s side of the meter. This rate shall be applied to all such consumption above the customer’s historical average usage.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
Not to exceed two-twelfths (2/12th) of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class or fifty dollars ($50.00), whichever is greater.
METER TESTING REQUESTED BY CUSTOMER
A customer requesting their water meter be tested will be charged Forty Dollars ($40.00). If the meter is found to be more than 2% in error, the amount advanced shall be promptly refunded to the customer or credited to the customer’s account. If the meter is not found to be more than 2% in error, the Utility shall retain the amount advanced by the customer for the test.
ADMINISTRATIVE FEE
In the event the District collects payment in full of a delinquent water bill at the customers premises in lieu of a discontinuance of service of service for nonpayment, an administrative fee of $15.00 shall also be collected in addition to the delinquent water bill.
(I) Indicates Increase
(C) Indicates Change
The Wood County Commission will consider adopting, rejecting, or modifying the District board approved rates and whether to waive the 45 day waiting period for the rate change to go into effect, at the May 18, 2023 meeting of the Wood County Commission, which will be held at 10:15 a.m. at the offices of the Wood County Commission, #1 Court Square, Parkersburg, WV 26101. The meetings of the Wood County Commission are open to the public.
NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGE IN SEWER RATES
The board of the Lubeck Public Service District (“District”) has on April 13, 2023, determined that the District’s sewer system is in financial distress for its inability at current rates to meet the statutory cash working capital reserve fund requirement and the financial performance requirements under its existing bonds, and approved an eight (8) percent across-the-board increase in rates for sewer service to enable the District to meet the statutory cash working capital reserve fund requirement and its bond coverage obligations, meet increased operating expenses, and pay debt service on a loan to improve the District’s physical plant. The District has not received an increase in its sewer rates since 2020.
The approved increased rates have been forwarded to the Wood County Commission for its consideration pursuant to W.Va. Code §§ 16-13A-9(a)(2)(E) and 24-2-11. The Wood County Commission has until May 29, 2023 to approve, modify, or reject the increased rates. If the Wood County Commission takes no action by May 29, 2023, the District Board approved rates will
become effective for all service rendered after May 29, 2023 by operation of law. The District has asked the Wood County Commission to make the increased rates effective immediately following approval by the Wood County Commission. The District provides sewer service to over 2,400 customers in Wood County.
The District board approved rates are projected to generate only $3,752 annually in unrestricted cash surplus on $1,810,128 of annual revenue;
The District Board approved the following rates:
APPLICABILITY
Applicable within entire territory served.
AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE
Available for general domestic, commercial, and industrial sewer service.
(I) RATES
Volumetric charge of $15.25 per 1,000 gallons.
Customer charge of $14.84 for each bill.
(I) MINIMUM CHARGE
Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $14.84 per month.
SURCHARGE
$2.00 per customer bill for a period not to exceed the total repayment of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan in the amount of $716,272 for the customers of the Lake Washington Sewer extension funded by this loan.
CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NON-WATER USERS
All users of the Sanitary Sewer disposal service who are not users of the District’s water service will be required to have a water meter installed on the private water system, at the District’s cost, for the purpose of determining the sewer charge.
DELAYED PAYMENT PENALTY
The above tariff is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, ten percent (10%) will be added to all net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
(C) TAP FEE.
A tap fee of $100.00 will be charged to customers applying for service before construction is completed adjacent to the customer’s premise in connection with a publicly financed project. This pre-construction tap fee will be invalid after the completion of construction adjacent to an applicant’s premises that is associated with a publicly financed project. A tap fee of $500.00 will be charged to all customers who apply for service outside of a publicly financed project for each new tap to the system.
RETUR NED CHECK CHARGE
The District may not collect any fee greater than that charged to it by a banking institution and under no circumstances shall the fee collected by the District exceed $25.00.
(I) Indicates Increase
(C) Indicates Change
The Wood County Commission will consider adopting, rejecting, or modifying the District board approved rates and whether to waive the 45 day waiting period for the rate change to go into effect, at the May 18, 2023 meeting of the Wood County Commission, which will be held at 10:15 a.m. at the offices of the Wood County Commission, #1 Court Square, Parkersburg, WV 26101. The meetings of the Wood County Commission :are open to the public.
WOOD COUNTY COMMISSION
May 11