NOTICE OF INTENT TO CHANGE SEWER RATES
Notice is hereby given that the board of the Lubeck Public Service District (“District”) will consider adopting increased rates, fees, and charges for furnishing sewer service to 2,442 customers in Wood County.
The proposed sewer rate increase, if adopted, will bring the District into compliance with its existing bond covenants, the statutory working capital reserve requirement, and allow the District to close on funding for a repair project to improve the District’s sewer plant, digester, garage, parking lot, effluent building, and a pump station crane.
The increased rates are projected to generate an unrestricted cash surplus of only $3,752 annually on gross revenue of $1,810,128.
The District presently charges the following rates:
APPLICABILITY
Applicable within entire territory served,
AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE
Available for general domestic, commercial, and industrial sewer service.
RATES
Volumetric charge of $14.12 per 1,000 gallons.
Customer charge of $13.74 for each bill.
MINIMUM CHARGE
Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $13.74 per month.
SURCHARGE
$2.00 per customer bill for a period not to exceed the total repayment of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan in the amount of $716,272 for the customers of the Lake Washington Sewer extension funded by this loan.
CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NON-WATER USERS
All users of the Sanitary Sewer disposal service who are not users of the Districts water service will be required to have a water meter installed on the private water system, at the District’s cost, for the purpose of determining the sewer charge.
DELAYED PAYMENT PENALTY
The above tariff is net. On all accounts not paid in fully when due, ten percent (10%) will be added to all 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.
Five Hundred Dollars ($500,00)
RETURNED CHECK CHARGE
The District may not collect any fee greater than that charged to it by a banking institution and under no circumstances shall the fee collected by the District exceed $25.00.
ROOF CONNECTION
The connection of surface drains to the sanitary sewer system is prohibited by Rule 5,4.19. of the Public Service Commission’s Rules for the Government of Sewer Utilities. After a thirty-day notice to disconnect, if the customer has not disconnected, the District shall bill at standard rates the inflow treated from such source. Said gallonage shall be Computed by determining the square footage of the structure or source involved and the precipitation during the billing cycle period. The resulting gallonage quantity shall be the basis for this additional billing. Failure to disconnect said connection within six months of notice shall be basis for service termination.
METER TESTING REQUESTED BY CUSTOMER
A customer requesting that their water meter be tested will be charged Forty Dollars ($40.00). If the meter is found to be more than 2% in error, the amount advanced shall be promptly refunded to the customer or credited to the customer’s account. If the meter is not found to be more than 2% in error, the Utility shall retain the amount advanced by the customer for the test.
FAILURE OF CUSTOMER TO CONNECT TO SANITARY SEWER.
Any customer who fails to connect to available sanitary sewer service shall be liable for a sewer bill based upon water consumption. Available service is defined in the Sewer Use Resolution as adopted and reviewed by the Lubeck Public Service District Board of Commissioners. The district shall notify such customer of said liability by certified mail, sixty (60) days before billing shall commence.
LEAK ADJUSTMENT
$1.88 per 1,000 gallons. 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 the customer’s historical average usage.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
Not to exceed two-twelfth (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 be changed by applicable stator provisions.
ADMINISTRATIVE FEE
In the event the District collects payment in full of a delinquent water bill at the customer’s premises in lieu of a discontinuance of service for nonpayment, an administrative fee of $15.00 shall also be collected in addition to the delinquent sewer bill.
In the following rate schedule, notations have the following significance:
(I) Indicates increase
(C) Indicates Change
The District will consider adopting the following rates:
APPLICABILITY
Applicable within entire territory served.
AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE
Available for general domestic, commercial, and industrial sewer service.
(I) RATES
Volumetric charge of $15.25 per 1,000 gallons.
Customer charge of $14.84 for each bill.
(I) MINIMUM CHARGE
Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $14.84 per month.
SURCHARGE
$2.00 per customer bill for a period not to exceed the total repayment of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan in the amount of $716,272 for the customers of the Lake Washington Sewer extension funded by this loan.
CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NON-WATER USERS
All users of the Sanitary Sewer disposal service who are not users of the Districts water service will be required to have a water meter installed on the private water system, at the District’s cost, for the purpose of determining the sewer charge.
DELAYED PAYMENT PENALTY
The above tariff is net. On all accounts not paid in fully when due, ten percent (10%) will be added to all 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.
(C) TAP FEE
A tap fee of $100.00 will be charged to customers applying for service before construction is completed adjacent to the customer’s premise in connection with a publicly financed project. This pre-construction tap fee will be invalid after the completion of construction adjacent to an applicant’s premises that is associated with a publicly financed project.
A tap fee of $500.00 will be charged to all customers who apply for service outside of a publicly financed project for each new tap to the system.
RETURNED CHECK CHARGE
The District may not collect any fee greater than that charged to it by a banking institution and under no circumstances shall the fee collected by the District exceed $25.00.
(C) ROOF CONNECTION
The connection of surface drains to the sanitary sewer system is prohibited by Rule 7.3.13 of the Public Service Commission’s Rules for the Government of Sewer Utilities. After a thirty-day notice to disconnect, if the customer has not disconnected, the District shall bill at standard rates the inflow treated from such source. Said gallonage shall be Computed by determining the square footage of the structure or source involved and the precipitation during the billing cycle period. The resulting gallonage quantity shall be the basis for this additional billing. Failure to disconnect said connection within six months of notice shall be basis for service termination.
METER TESTING REQUESTED BY CUSTOMER
A customer requesting that their water meter be tested will be charged Forty Dollars ($40.00). If the meter is found to be more than 2% in error, the amount advanced shall be promptly refunded to the customer or credited to the customer’s account. If the meter is not found to be more than 2% in error, the Utility shall retain the amount advanced by the customer for the test.
FAILURE OF CUSTOMER TO CONNECT TO SANITARY SEWER.
Any customer who fails to connect to available sanitary sewer service shall be liable for a sewer bill based upon water consumption. Available service is defined in the Sewer Use Resolution as adopted and reviewed by the Lubeck Public Service District Board of Commissioners. The district shall notify such customer of said liability by certified mail, sixty (60) days before billing shall commence.
(C), (I) LEAK ADJUSTMENT
$5.00 per 1000 gallons. 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 the customer’s historical average usage.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
Not to exceed two-twelfth (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 be changed by applicable stator provisions.
ADMINISTRATIVE FEE
In the event the District collects payment in full of a delinquent water bill at the customer’s premises in lieu of a discontinuance of service for nonpayment, an administrative fee of $15.00 shall also be collected in addition to the delinquent sewer bill.
The District will consider adopting a resolution containing the increased rates at the following meetings to be held at the District’s offices, 301 Ox Johnson Lane, Washington, WV 26181.
Public Hearing followed immediately by regular
Board meeting for final adoption
Thursday, April 13, 2023
11:00 am
The financial analysis supporting the increased rates is available for inspection at the District’s offices 301 Ox Johnson Lane, Washington, WV 26181.
Interested parties may appear at the April 13, 2023 public hearing and be heard with respect to the proposed rates, fees, and charges.
LUBECK PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT
Mar 24