Marion

Public Service Commission of West Virginia Charleston

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF

WEST VIRGINIA CHARLESTON

CASE NO.:

14-1969-PWD-CN

NAME OF APPLICANT:

LITTLE CREEK PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT

Application for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity to construct improvements to its water distribution system in Clinton District, Monongalia County, and Winfield District, Marion County, West Virginia.

NOTICE OF FILING

On December 9, 2014, Little Creek Public Service District filed a duly verified application for a Certificate to construct improvements to its water distribution system in Clinton District, Monongalia County, and Winfield District, Marion County.

This project is necessary to establish a reliable water distribution system for the Halleck Road and Toms Run area of Clinton District, Monongalia County, West Virginia, per descent decree of the Monongalia County Circuit Court issued in Civil Action No. 94-C-154, in a case styled West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services v. Little Creek Public Service District, and to comply with recommendations for security fencing around existing water tanks per the most recent West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Office of Environmental Health 2009 Sanitary Survey.  Existing lines are undersized, and there is not adequate storage capacity for the present customers be served in the Halleck Road area.  Therefore, additional storage facilities are required, including two (2) new water tanks, with upgrades to the existing lines so that customer demand can be satisfied.  This project will also provide upgraded telemetry controls at the system’s Meadowdale pump station located along Smithtown Road in Winfield District, Marion County, West Virginia, and the Thistledown and Main Water tanks along County Routes 73/11 and 79/4, in Monongalia County.

The application is on file with and available for public inspection at the Public Service Commission, 201 Brooks Street, in Charleston, West Virginia.

The District estimates that construction will cost approximately $1,576,735.00.  It is proposed that the construction will be financed as follows: USDA Rural Development Loan in the amount of $1,576,735.00.

The utility anticipates charging the following water rates for its customers:

RATE

First 3,000 gallons used per month

$9.44 per 1,000 gallons

Next3,000 gallons used per month

$7.94 per 1,000 gallons

Next4,000 gallons used per month

$7.36  per 1,000 gallons

All Over 10,000 gallons used per month

$6.69 per 1,000 gallons

MINIMUM CHARGE

No bill will be rendered for less than the following amounts according to meter size installed plus the applicable surcharge:

5/8 inch meter $28.32 per month

3/4 inch meter $42.48 per month

1 inch meter $70.80 per month

1 1/4 inch meter$103.37 per month

1 1/2 inch meter $141.60 per month

2 inch meter$226.56 per month

3 inch meter $453.12 per month

4 inch meter$708.00 per month

6 inch meter$1,416.00 per month

SALES FOR RESALE

All water for resale to the City of Fairmont will be billed in accordance with the approved rate of $6.13 per 1,000 gallons.

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 to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.

RETURNED CHECK CHARGE

A service charge equal to the actual bank fee assessed to the District or a maximum of $25.00 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by their bank due to insufficient funds.

RECONNECTION $20.00

To be charged whenever the supply of water is turned off for violation of rules, nonpayment of bills or fraudulent use of water.

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 all customers who apply for service outside of certificate proceeding before the Commission for each new tap to the system.

LEAK ADJUSTMENT

$4.12 per 1,000 is to be used when the 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 historical average usage.

FIRE HYDRANTS

Annual Service charge per hydrant – $25.00

SECURITY DEPOSIT

A deposit of $50.00 or 2/12ths of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater.

These rates represent the following non project-related increases to become effective prior to substantial completion of the project: NONE.

These rates represent the following project-related increases to become effective upon substantial completion of the project unless otherwise ordered:

($) INCREASE({4ceb532c6f579389df471c6c1e832caf2346b74dc60fcbf6aabd4d29df3baf9c}) INCREASE

Residential 7.04 24.6

Commercial 11.30 24.6

Industrial 406.45 24.6

Resale 171.72 24.6

Other N/A N/A

Resale customers of Little Creek Public Service District include the City of Fairmont.

The proposed increased rates and charges related to the project will produce approximately $101,365.00 annually in additional revenue, an increase of 26.5{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 among the various classes of customers are only a proposal and are subject to change (increases or decreased) 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 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’s Rules of Practice and Procedure.  All protests and requests to intervene should be addressed to Ingrid Ferrell, 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 the Commission’s review of the evidence submitted with the application.

Times: December 29, 2014