PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 21-0666-PSD-CN
HUTTONSVILLE PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT
Randolph County, West Virginia
Application for a certificate of convenience and necessity to
construct certain additions and improvements to its existing
sewerage system.
NOTICE OF FILING
On August 31, 2021, Huttonsville Public Service District (District) filed an application, duly verified, for a Certificate to construct certain additions and improvements to the District’s existing sewerage system in Randolph County, West Virginia.
The District proposes to construct the following additions and improvements to its waterworks system consisting of (i) construction and installation of a WCS Bio-Shell treatment system, including all related aeration devices and appurtenances, two (2) 3-phase variable speed blowers, and one (1) 60 horsepower motor and related equipment; and (ii) all necessary valves and appurtenances connected thereto.
The application is on file with and available for public inspection at the Public Service Commission, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia.
The District estimates that the project will cost approximately $3,760,000. It is proposed that the project will be financed with a $1,260,000 West Virginia State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan at 0.25% interest and a 0.25% administrative fee for a period of 40 years, a $1,440,000 CWSRF forgivable loan, a grant of $1,000,000 from the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council (WVIJDC), a Pre-Application Funding Assistance grant of $30,000 from the West Virginia IJDC, a grant of $25,000 from The County Commission of Randolph County, and a $5,000 contribution from the District.
The District anticipates charging the following increased rates for its customers:
APPLICABILITY
Applicable for general domestic, commercial, industrial service.
AVAILABILITY
Available for general domestic, commercial and industrial service.
RATES (Customers with metered water supply)
First 3,000 gallons used per month $21.23 per 1,000 gallons
Next 3,000 gallons used per month $18.72 per 1,000 gallons
Next 4,000 gallons used per month $16.02 per 1,000 gallons
All Over 10,000 gallons used per month $13.44 per 1,000 gallons
MINIMUM CHARGE
No bill will be rendered for less than $63.69 per month.
FLAT RATE CHARGE (Customers with non-metered water supply)
Equivalent of 4,500 gallons of water usage or $91.77 per month.
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 delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
TAP FEE
The following charges are to be made whenever the utility installs a new tap to serve an applicant:
A tap fee of $350.00 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 actual bank fee assessed to the District up to a maximum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) will be imposed upon any customer whose check for charges is returned by the bank due to insufficient funds.
LEAK ADJUSTMENT RATE
$2.30 per 1,000 gallons is to be used when a 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 historica average usage.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
Not to exceed two-twelfths (2/12) of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, or fifty dollars ($50.00), whichever is greater. This fee may change by applicable statutory provisions.
SURCHARGE FORMULA TO BE APPLIED IN CASES WHERE SURFACE DRAINAGE IS CONNECTED TO THE UTILITY’S SANITARY SYSTEM
Whenever the utility has discovered that a customer’s roof drain, downspouts, storm sewer, or other similar facilities conducting surface water has been connected to the utility’s sewer system and such customer has failed to take appropriate action within 30 days of receipt of a demand by the utility, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission to eliminate such connection, 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 the roof and/or the area of any other
water collection surface connected to the sanitary sewer, in square feet.
R = The measured monthly rainfall, in inches.
.0006233 = A conversion factor to change inches of rain x square feet of surface to thousands of gallons of water.
C = The utility’s approved rate per thousand gallons of metered water usage.
The utility 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 30 days from receipt of such notice to divert the water from the sanitary sewer system.
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 the possible termination of water service in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.
These rates represent the following project-related increases that will become effective upon substantial completion of the project unless otherwise ordered:
($) INCREASE (%) INCREASE
Residential (3,400 gallons) $9.59 15.32%
Commercial (5,400 gallons) $14.41 15.30%
Public Authority (13,200 gallons) $30.12 15.30%
The District has no resale customers.
The proposed increased rates and charges related to the project will produce approximately $124,324 annually in additional revenue, an increase of 15.31%. 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 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.
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