PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 16-0616-PSD-PC-CN
NOTICE OF FILING
On May 12, 2016 Jefferson County Public Service District (“District”) filed an application (“Application”), duly verified, for a certificate of convenience and necessity to undertake a project (“Project”) for the construction of wastewater collection and transmission system improvements which included a petition for approval of an inter-utility agreement with the City of Ranson.
The District estimates that the Project will cost approximately $7,150,000. It is proposed that the construction will be financed by: a West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) State Revolving Fund (“SRF”) loan in the amount of $3,575,000 payable over 40 years at 0{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} interest with a 0.5{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} administrative fee, and a $3.575,000 United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Rural Utilities Services (“RUS”) loan payable over 40 years at 2.875{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c} interest per annum.
The District anticipates charging the following rates:
RATES (customers with a metered water supply)
$18.32 per thousand gallons of metered water usage
MINIMUM CHARGE
No bill will be rendered for less than $45.80 per month.
FLAT RATE CHARGE (Customers with non-metered water supply)
Equivalent of 4,500 gallons of water usage, $82.44 per month
MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY
For unmetered trailer parks, the monthly charge for services shall be equal to the number of units multiplied by the unmetered charge provided above.
TRANSPORTATION CHARGE
A monthly charge of $1,009 per month will be imposed upon the City of Charles Town for reimbursement of fixed debt associated with lift stations needed to transport Charles Town’s sewage from the former Sanitary Associates service area. The charge will be imposed until the indebtedness is satisfied.
DELAYED PAYMENT PENALTY
The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, ten percent (10{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}) will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is only to be collected 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 $250.00 will be charged to customers applying for service outside of a certificate proceeding before the Commission for each new tap to the system.
DISCONNECT / RECONNECT FEES
Whenever water service has been disconnected for non-payment of sewer bills in conjunction with a water service termination agreement with the City of Charles Town, a disconnection fee of $10.00 shall be charged. Whenever water service has been disconnected for non-payment of sewer bills in conjunction with a water service termination agreement with Jefferson Utilities, Inc., a disconnection fee of $20.00 shall be charged.
Whenever water service, which has been previously disconnected or otherwise withheld for non-payment of a sewer bill in conjunction with a water service termination agreement with the City of Charles Town is reconnected, a reconnection fee of $10.00 shall be charged. Whenever water service, which has been previously disconnected or otherwise withheld for non-payment of a sewer bill in conjunction with a water service termination agreement with Jefferson Utilities, Inc. is reconnected, a reconnection fee of $20.00 shall be charged.
LEAK ADJUSTMENT INCREMENT
$6.53 per M. gallons is to be used when the bill reflects unusual consumption which can be attributed to eligible leakage on customer’s side of the meter. This rate shall be applied to all such consumption above customer’s historical average usage.
RETURN CHECK CHARGE
A service charge equal to the actual bank fee assessed to the sewer utility 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 finds.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FEE
As used in this section, a “Developer” is defined as “a person, corporation, or entity who is in the business of land and/or commercial or housing development for profit, or a person, corporation, or entity who requests an alternate main line extension that includes the installation of mains by the person, corporation or entity.”
As used in this section, a “Previously Developed Tract” is defined as property previously subdivided for commercial or housing development, for profit.
On and after August 13, 2015, Developers and resale customers (in instances of developer connections), and those seeking a new sewer connection for a Previously Developed Tract shall pay to the District a capital improvement fee (CIF) for connections made to the sewer system of an unserved structure or facility. For Developers and those seeking a new sewer connection for a Previously Developed tract, the CIFs are due as of the date of the entry into the final sewer availability agreement with the Jefferson County Public Service District. For resale customers making developer connections, the CIF is due the month following the date a new customer of the District’s resale customer to which the CIF is applicable connects to the facilities of the District’s resale customer.
The capital improvement fee shall be $4,832.00 per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU). Connections for non-residential use shall be paid in accordance with a residential usage equivalent schedule set forth below.
CAPACITY ASSURANCE FEE
Developers, those seeking to assure capacity for a Previously Developed Tract, and resale customers of the District (in instances of developer connections) may execute a Capacity Assurance Agreement (CAA) and pay a Capacity Assurance Fee (CAF) to the District in the amount of $4,832.00 per EDU. Execution of the CAA and payment of the CAF shall entitle the payee to a reservation of capacity as provided in the CAA.
At such time as the reserved capacity is called upon by the entity paying a CAF, the CAF will be treated by the District as a credit, without interest, against the District’s then effective CIF. Subject to this credit, entities that have paid a CAF remain responsible for payment of the District’s then effective CIF for construction on property identified in the CAA.
RESIDENTIAL USAGE EQUIVALENTS FOR CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT FEE
WATER RESIDENTIAL USAGE
UNIT GALLONS PER DAY EQUIVALENT
Apartments 150/unit 1.0/unit
Bowling Alleys 200/alley 1.33/alley
Churches With Kitchen 8/member 0.05/member
Churches W/O Kitchen 2/member 0.013/member
Food Service 32/seat 0.213/seat
Fast Food Restaurant 35/seat 0.23/seat
Bar & Cocktail Lounge 2/patron 0.013/patron
(additive)
Tavern-Little or No Food 20/seat 0.132/seat
Hotel 120/room 0.8/per room
Industry, sanitary 15/person/shift 0.1/person per shift
Institutions:
Hospital 250/bed 1.67/bed
Nursing Home 150/bed 1.0/bed
Others 75/person 0.5/person
Office Buildings 15/person 0.1/person
Laundry Self Service 250/washer 1.67/washer
Mobile Home Park 150/unit space 1.0/unit space
Motels 120/room 0.8/room
Retail Stores 400/toilet room 2.67/toilet room
Residence 150/residence 1.0/resident
School:
Day, no cafeteria/showers 15/pupil 0.1/pupil
Day with cafeteria 18/pupil 0.12/pupil
Day with cafeteria/showers 20/pupil 0.133/pupil
Boarding 75/pupil 0.5/pupil
Service Station 500/set of pumps 3.33/set of pumps
Shopping Centers 16/100 feet of sales area 0.12/100 feet of
sales area
Swimming Pools 10/swimmer design capacity 0.067/swimmer design capacity
Theaters:
Drive Inn 4/car space 0.027/car space
Others 3/seat 0.02/seat
Warehouse 15/employee 0.1/employee
If a unit does not appear on this schedule, the Corporation shall determine its Residential Usage Equivalent in consultation with its consulting engineer.
These rates represent the following project-related increases:
($)INCREASE ({4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c})INCREASE
Residential $ 1.84 2.6{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
Commercial (18,000
gallons per month) $ 8.46 2.6{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
Industrial (36,000 gpm) $16.92 2.6{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
Public Authority (94,000 $44.18 2.6{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}
gpm)
The proposed increased rates and charges related to the project will produce approximately $144,966 annually, an increase of 5{4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}. 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 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 Ingrid Ferrell, 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 grant the application based on the Commission’s review of the evidence submitted with the application.
8106679.1