PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 22-0545-PSD-CN
MINERAL WELLS PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT
Wood 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 June 10, 2022, Mineral Wells Public Service District (District) filed a duly verified application for a certificate of convenience and necessity to construct certain additions and improvements to the District’s existing sewerage system in Wood County, West Virginia.
The District proposes to construct certain additions and improvements to its waterworks system consisting of (i) extending the force main associated with the Stoops Road Lift Station from the current discharge point on Blair Avenue to a direct connection with the Jackson Run Lift Station wet well; (ii) extending a 12-inch gravity sewer across Tygart Creek and W. V. State Route 21 to the future W. V. State Route 21 Lift Station site housing a duplex submersible lift station; (iii) constructing improvements to various individual grinder pump stations; (iv) converting the Bonnivale Lift Station to a larger submersible lift station; (v) extending a new force main from the Jackson Run Lift Station to the District’s wastewater treatment plant; (vi) converting the Jackson Run Lift Station to a larger submersible lift station; (vii) installing a second headworks at the District’s wastewater treatment plant to handle flows from the rerouted Jackson Run Lift Station; and (vi) 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 estimated cost of the Project is $9,023,150. The District proposes to fund the Project with a $7,523,150 loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) for a term of 30 years at 0.75% interest and 0.25% administrative fee, a $1,000,000 CWSRF principal forgiveness loan, and a $500,000 West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council grant.
The District anticipates charging the following increased rates and charges for its customers:
APPLICABILITY
Applicable within the entire territory served.
AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE
Available for general domestic, commercial, industrial and sale for resale sewer service.
CUSTOMER CHARGE
Per customer monthly charge $28.19
RATES (Customers with metered water supply)
Per 1,000 gallons used $10.94
FLAT RATE CHARGE (Customers with non-metered water supply) Equivalent of 4,500 gallons of water usage or $77.42 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.
INCREMENTAL COST OF SEWER TREATED
$1.13 per 1,000 gallons of water is to be used when a bill reflects unusual water consumption which can be attributed to eligible leakage on the customer’s side of the meter. This rate shall be applied to all such unusual consumption above the customer’s historical average usage.
RECONNECTION FEE
Whenever water service, which has been disconnected or otherwise withheld for non-payment of a sewer bill is reconnected, a reconnection fee of $25.00 shall be charged.
RETURNED CHECK CHARGE
A service charge equal to the actual bank fee assessed to the District, 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.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
A deposit of $50.00 or 2/12 of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater.
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 (2,500 gallons) $13.45 31.94%
Commercial (12,900 gallons) $41.01 31.96%
Industrial(26,750 gallons) $77.71 31.96%
Public Authorities (1,300 gallons) $10.27 31.93%
The proposed increased rates and charges related to the project will produce approximately $381,634 annually in additional revenue, an increase of 31.95%. The total increase granted will not exceed this estimate unless further notice is provided.
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 Karen Buckley, 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.
June 29