PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 20-0710-S-CN
TOWN OF ANSTED
Fayette County, West Virginia
Application for a certificate of convenience and necessity to construct certain additions and improvements to its existing sewerage system.
REVISED NOTICE OF FILING
On September 15, 2020, the Town of Ansted (Town) filed a duly verified application for a certificate of convenience and necessity to construct certain additions and improvements to the Town’s existing sewerage system in Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
The Town proposes to construct the following additions and improvements to its waterworks system consisting of: cleaning and sediment removal at each pumping station; demolition of existing Pumping Stations 1 and 2; installation of Pumping Station 1 upstream from existing pumping station, including a new 10-foot wetwell, 8-foot valve vault, and 5-foot meter pit and associated mechanical and electrical equipment; installation of Pumping Station 2 adjacent to existing pumping station (to be demolished), including a new 10-foot wet well, 8-foot valve vault, and 5-foot meter pit and associated mechanical and electrical equipment; installation of new Environment-One duplex grinder station at the existing Community Center (Community Center Pump Station); installation of 223 linear feet of 1-1/2-inch force main from the new Environment-One duplex grinder station to existing gravity sewer pipe; installation of a new 4-foot manhole with ring and cover, including connection to existing 6-inch VCP and the new 1-1/2-inch force main; pumping station rehabilitation at Pumping Stations 3 through 8; 4-inch magnetic flow meter installation at Pump Stations 1 through 4, including new meter pits (five foot); VFD installation for pump motors at each pumping station; telemetry installation for each pumping station (excluding new Community Center Pump Station); new emergency generator installations at Pumping Stations 1 and 2; moving of the existing emergency generator at the Pumping Station 2 site to the Pumping Station 3 site with associated reconfiguration for use at Pumping Station 3; moving of the existing emergency generator at the Pumping Station 1 site to the Pumping Station 4 site with associated reconfiguration for use at Pumping Station 4; purchase and deliver to site a mini excavator, trailer-mounted vacuum excavator, trailer-mounted sewer jetter, portable diesel-driven emergency pump, dump truck and service truck; and all necessary piping, valves, controls and appurtenances related thereto.
The application is on file with and available for public inspection at the Public Service Commission, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia.
The Town estimates that the project will cost approximately $4,038,026. The Town proposes to fund the Project with a $21,000 soft cost grant from the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council (“WVIJDC”), a $3,517,026 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (“CWSRF”) loan for a term of 30 years at 0.75% interest and 0.25% administrative fee, and a $500,000 CWSRF principal forgiveness loan.
The Town anticipates charging the following rates, which are in the process of being enacted by Town Council following municipal ordinances procedures.
SCHEDULE I
(Effective 45 Days After Enactment)
APPLICABILITY
Applicable in entire territory served.
AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE
Available for general domestic, commercial and industrial sanitary sewer service.
RATES
Flat rate per 1,000 gallons used per month $18.11 per 1,000 gallons
MINIMUM CHARGE
No bill will be rendered for less than $36.22 per month, which is equivalent of 2,000 gallons per month at a rate of $18.11 per 1,000 gallons.
UNMETERED RATE
The unmetered monthly bill shall be $72.44 per month (based on 4,000 gallons).
CONNECTION CHARGE
The connection charge for each new tap to the system shall be $300.00 or the actual costs as solely determined by the Town.
DISCONNECT FOR NON-PAYMENT
If any bill is not paid within 20 days after the bill due date, water service to the customer will be discontinued and will not be restored until all past due bills have been paid in full, together with all penalty charges, the disconnection charge, and the reconnection charge, subject to the applicable rules of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.
DISCONNECT/RECONNECT/ADMINISTRATIVE FEES
Whenever water service has been disconnected for nonpayment of sewer bills in conjunction with a water service termination agreement with West Virginia American Water, a disconnection fee of $20.00 shall be charged; or in the event the delinquent sewer bill is collected by the water company, an administrative fee of $20.00 shall be charged.
Whenever water service has been disconnected for nonpayment of sewer bills in conjunction with a water service termination agreement with West Virginia American Water, a reconnection fee of $20.00 shall be charged; or in the event the delinquent sewer bill is collected by the water company, an administrative fee of $20.00 shall be charged.
DELAYED PAYMENT PENALTY
The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, ten percent (10%) will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This payment is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
A security deposit will be required for all new accounts opened within the territory served. The deposit shall not be more than fifty dollars ($50) or two-twelfths (2/12) of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater.
RETURNED CHECK CHARGE
A service charge equal to the actual bank fee assessed by the banking institution to the sewer utility up to a maximum of $25.00 (per WV Code 61-3-39e) will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the banking institution due to insufficient funds.
MUNICIPAL EXCISE TAX SURCHARGE
The municipality listed below, having imposed a public utility tax computed on the basis of two percent (2%) of revenues from the sewer service sales by the sewer utility within the corporate limits of such municipalities. shall be billed as a “surcharge” to customers receiving service within said corporate limits.
The sewer utility is required to collect the utility tax pursuant to West Virginia Code 8-13-5a.
Customers receiving sewer service within the corporate limits of the specified municipality shall pay a surcharge on the following surcharge rates.
Municipality Utility Excise Tax
Town of Ansted Local Utility Excise Tax Rate: Two Percent (2%)
STORM SEWER DRAIN AND BROKEN OR
DAMAGED SERVICE CONNECTION
No person shall connect or permit to be connected a storm sewer or storm drain to a sanitary sewer, or otherwise allow or permit water to enter a sanitary sewer, or continue to have a storm or storm drain connected to a sanitary sewer, or continue to allow or permit storm water to enter a sanitary sewer.
The provision of this section shall also apply outside the municipality where sanitary sewers are connected to the sanitary sewer system of the Town of Ansted.
Whenever the Town of Ansted has discovered that a customer’s broken or damaged service connection, roof drain, downspout, storm sewer or other similar or like facilities conducting surface water have been connected to the Town of Ansted sanitary sewer system, and such customer has failed to take appropriate action, within thirty (30) days of receipt of a demand by the Town of Ansted Sewer Department in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to eliminate such connection or defect, a surcharge will be imposed upon the customer calculated on the basis of the following formula:
S = A x R x .0006233 x C
S – The surcharge in dollars.
A – The area under roof and/or the area of any other water collection surface connected to the sanitary system, in square feet.
R – The measured monthly rainfall
.0006233 – A conversion factor to change inches of rain x square feet of a surface to thousands of gallons of water.
C – The Town of Ansted Sewer department approved rate per thousand gallons of sewage treated.
The Town of Ansted shall not impose the surcharge unless and until the customer has been notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by hand delivery, that it has been established by smoke testing, dye testing, or on-site inspection that rain or other surface water is being introduced into the sanitary sewer system at the customer’s location, and that the customer has not acted within thirty (30) days from the receipt of such notice to divert the water from the sanitary sewer.
Said surcharge shall be calculated and imposed for each month that said condition continues to exist. Failure to pay the surcharge and/or correct the situation shall give rise to possible termination of water service in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.
The above rates and charges shall be applicable for any owner or occupant of each and every lot or parcel of land or building within or without the corporate limits of the Town of Ansted and having any connection to the sanitary sewer system of the Town of Ansted.
SCHEDULE II
(Effective Upon Substantial Completion of the Project
or the Commencement of Debt Service, Whichever Occurs First)
APPLICABILITY
Applicable in entire territory served.
AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE
Available for general domestic, commercial and industrial sanitary sewer service.
RATES
Flat rate per 1,000 gallons used per month $20.10 per 1,000 gallons
MINIMUM CHARGE
No bill will be rendered for less than $40.20 per month, which is equivalent of 2,000 gallons per month at a rate of $20.10 per 1,000 gallons.
UNMETERED RATE
The unmetered monthly bill shall be $80.40 per month (based on 4,000 gallons).
CONNECTION CHARGE
The connection charge for each new tap to the system shall be $300.00 or the actual costs as solely determined by the Town.
DISCONNECT FOR NON-PAYMENT
If any bill is not paid within 20 days after the bill due date, water service to the customer will be discontinued and will not be restored until all past due bills have been paid in full, together with all penalty charges, the disconnection charge, and the reconnection charge, subject to the applicable rules of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.
DISCONNECT/RECONNECT/ADMINISTRATIVE FEES
Whenever water service has been disconnected for nonpayment of sewer bills in conjunction with a water service termination agreement with West Virginia American Water, a disconnection fee of $20.00 shall be charged; or in the event the delinquent sewer bill is collected by the water company, an administrative fee of $20.00 shall be charged.
Whenever water service has been disconnected for nonpayment of sewer bills in conjunction with a water service termination agreement with West Virginia American Water, a reconnection fee of $20.00 shall be charged; or in the event the delinquent sewer bill is collected by the water company, an administrative fee of $20.00 shall be charged.
DELAYED PAYMENT PENALTY
The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, ten percent (10%) will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This payment is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
A security deposit will be required for all new accounts opened within the territory served. The deposit shall not be more than fifty dollars ($50) or two-twelfths (2/12) of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater.
RETURNED CHECK CHARGE
A service charge equal to the actual bank fee assessed by the banking institution to the sewer utility up to a maximum of $25.00 (per WV Code 61-3-39e) will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the banking institution due to insufficient funds.
MUNICIPAL EXCISE TAX SURCHARGE
The municipality listed below, having imposed a public utility tax computed on the basis of two percent (2%) of revenues from the sewer service sales by the sewer utility within the corporate limits of such municipalities. shall be billed as a “surcharge” to customers receiving service within said corporate limits.
The sewer utility is required to collect the utility tax pursuant to West Virginia Code 8-13-5a.
Customers receiving sewer service within the corporate limits of the specified municipality shall pay a surcharge on the following surcharge rates.
Municipality Utility Excise Tax
Town of Ansted Local Utility Excise Tax Rate: Two Percent (2%)
STORM SEWER DRAIN AND BROKEN OR
DAMAGED SERVICE CONNECTION
No person shall connect or permit to be connected a storm sewer or storm drain to a sanitary sewer, or otherwise allow or permit water to enter a sanitary sewer, or continue to have a storm or storm drain connected to a sanitary sewer, or continue to allow or permit storm water to enter a sanitary sewer.
The provision of this section shall also apply outside the municipality where sanitary sewers are connected to the sanitary sewer system of the Town of Ansted.
Whenever the Town of Ansted has discovered that a customer’s broken or damaged service connection, roof drain, downspout, storm sewer or other similar or like facilities conducting surface water have been connected to the Town of Ansted sanitary sewer system, and such customer has failed to take appropriate action, within thirty (30) days of receipt of a demand by the Town of Ansted Sewer Department in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to eliminate such connection or defect, a surcharge will be imposed upon the customer calculated on the basis of the following formula:
S = A x R x .0006233 x C
S – The surcharge in dollars.
A – The area under roof and/or the area of any other water collection surface connected to the sanitary system, in square feet.
R – The measured monthly rainfall
.0006233 – A conversion factor to change inches of rain x square feet of a surface to thousands of gallons of water.
C – The Town of Ansted Sewer department approved rate per thousand gallons of sewage treated.
The Town of Ansted shall not impose the surcharge unless and until the customer has been notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by hand delivery, that it has been established by smoke testing, dye testing, or on-site inspection that rain or other surface water is being introduced into the sanitary sewer system at the customer’s location, and that the customer has not acted within thirty (30) days from the receipt of such notice to divert the water from the sanitary sewer.
Said surcharge shall be calculated and imposed for each month that said condition continues to exist. Failure to pay the surcharge and/or correct the situation shall give rise to possible termination of water service in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.
The above rates and charges shall be applicable for any owner or occupant of each and every lot or parcel of land or building within or without the corporate limits of the Town of Ansted and having any connection to the sanitary sewer system of the Town of Ansted.
These rates represent the following project-related increases that will become effective pursuant to municipal ordinance.
Effective 45 Days After Enactment
Effective Upon Substantial Completion of the Project
or the Commencement of Debt Service, Whichever Occurs First
The Town has no resale customers.
The rate increase related to the project will produce approximately $143,080 annually in additional revenue, an increase of 43%, 45 days after enactment, and $51,500 annually in additional revenue, an increase of 11%, upon substantial completion of the project of the commencement of debt service, whichever occurs first. These increases are in the process of being enacted by Town Council following municipal ordinance procedures and can be challenged only through a proper petition as set forth in W. Va. Code § 24-2-4b.
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.
Anyone desiring to protest or intervene in the Certificate proceeding 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 intervene can affect your right to protest aspects of this certificate case or 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 Rules of Practice and Procedure. All protests and requests to intervene should be addressed to Executive Secretary, P.O. 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 grant the application based on Commission review of the evidence submitted with the application.