PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 21-0701-PW
GRANT COUNTY PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT
Application for a certificate of convenience and necessity to replace the
existing waterline along Jordan Run Road and construct two separate
water line extensions from the District’s existing water distribution
system to serve the Eston-Carr Buckbee Hollow and Knobley Road
areas of Grant County.
NOTICE OF FILING
On September 17, 2021, the Grant County Public Service District (District) filed a duly verified application for a certificate of convenience and necessity to replace the existing waterline along Jordan Run Road and construct two separate water line extensions from the District’s existing water distribution system to serve the Eston-Can Buckbee Hollow and Knobley Road areas of Grant County.
The District proposes to replace the existing waterline along Jordan Run Road and construct two separate water line extensions from the Applicant’s existing water distribution system to serve the Eston-Carr Buckbee Hollow and Knobley Road areas of Grant County (Project).
The application is on file with and available for public inspection at the Public Service Commission, 201 Brooks Street, in Charleston, West Virginia.
The Project will be funded with a loan and grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); a grant in the amount of $750,000; and, a loan, totaling $3,608,000, will be payable at an interest rate of 1.875 percent over a forty-year (40) period.
The District’s present rates are not designed to generate revenue to meet the working capital reserve requirement of W.Va. Code 24-1-1(k). In order to meet the working capital reserve requirement, pay increased debt service and operating expenses, the District anticipates charging the following rates upon substantial completion of the Project:
APPLICABILITY
Applicable in entire territory served on all bills rendered after the certification of substantial completion of the 202 1 certificate project.
AVAILABILITY
Available for general domestic, commercial, and industrial service.
RATES (for all customers with metered water supply)
First 3,000 gallons used per month $ 11.44 per 1,000 gallons
Next 3,000 gallons used per month $ 10.50 per 1,000 gallons
Next 4,000 gallons used per month $ 9.23 per 1,000 gallons
Next 10,000 gallons used per month $ 8.23 per 1,000 gallons
All Over 20,000 gallons used per month $ 6.61 per 1,000 gallons
MINIMUM CHARGE
No bill will be rendered for less than the following based on meter size:
5/8 inch meter $ 34.32 per month
3/4 inch meter $ 51.48 per month
1 inch meter $ 85.80 per month
1 1/4 inch meter $ 125.25 per month
1 1/2 inch meter $ 171.58 per month
2 inch meter $ 274.53 per month
3 inch meter $ 549.05 per month
4 inch meter $ 857.89 per month
6 inch meter $ 1,715.76 per month
8 inch meter $ 2,745.22 per month
DELAYED PAYMENT PENALTY
The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, ten percent will be added to the 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.
TAP FEE
The following charge is to be made whenever the utility installs a new tap to serve an applicant.
A tap fee of $100.00 per each new tap will be charged to customers applying for service before construction is completed adjacent to the customer’s premises in connection with a certificate proceeding before the Commission. This pre-construction tap fee will be invalid after the completion of construction adjacent to an applicant’s premises that is associated with a certificate proceeding.
A tap fee of $350.00, or the actual cost of the connection, whichever is lesser, will be charged to all customers who apply for service outside of a certificate proceeding before the Commission for each new tap to the system.
RETURNED CHECK CHARGE
A service charge equal to the bank fee assessed to the water utility not to exceed $25.00 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank due to insufficient funds.
RECONNECTION – $25.00
To be charged whenever the supply of water is turned off for violations of rules, non-payment of bills, or fraudulent use of water.
INCREMENTAL COSTS
$4.94 per 1,000 gallons is to be used when the bill reflects unusual consumption which can be attributed to eligible leakage on the customer’s side of the meter. This rate shall be applied to all such consumption above the customer’s historical usage.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
Not to exceed two-twelfth’s (2/12) of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, or fifty dollars, whichever is greater. This fee may be changed by applicable statutory provisions.
These rates represent the following project-related increases to become effective upon substantial completion of the project unless otherwise ordered:
($) INCREASE INCREASE (%)
Residential (3,400 Gallons) $ 6.16 19.0%
Commercial (6,000 Gallons) $ 10.53 19.0%
Industrial (42,000 Gallons) $ 52.97 19.0%
Public Authority (3,000 Gallons) $ 5.49 19.0%
Leak Adjustment (per 1,000 gallons) $ 0.79 19.0%
The District has no resale customers.
The proposed increased rates and charges related to the project will produce approximately $230,458 annually in additional revenue, an increase of 15.5%. The total increase granted will not exceed this estimate unless further notice is provided.
The increases shown are based on averages of all customers in the indicated class. Individual customers may receive increases that are greater or less than average. Furthermore, the requested rates and charges among the various classes of customers are only a proposal and are subject to change (increases or decreases) by the Public Service Commission in its review of this filing.
Anyone desiring to protest or intervene should file a written protest or request to intervene within thirty (30) days following the date of this publication unless otherwise modified by Commission order. Failure to timely protest or request to intervene can affect your right to protest aspects of this certificate case, including any associated rate increases, or to participate in future proceedings. All protests or requests to intervene should briefly state the reason for the protest or request to intervene. Requests to intervene must comply with the rules on intervention set forth in the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. All protests and requests to intervene should be addressed to Connie Graley, Executive Secretary, P.0. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323.
In the absence of substantial protest received within thirty (30) days of this publication, the Commission may waive formal hearing and render its decision on the application based on the evidence submitted with the application and the Commission’s review thereof.
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