The California Public Utilities Commission on April 18, 2013 approved an increase in water service charges for Cold Springs Water Company for it’s Cold Springs and Peter Pam customers (rate-payers). This action arose from an application for a rate increase filed by the Company in April 2012 and which was the subject of a public hearing at the former Pinecrest School on May 29, 2012.
Several rate-payers raised questions over the ensuing months about the Company’s proposal and about the PUC’s own proposal. Some financial incentives to encourage water conservation and requirements for further accountability of the company, especially for non-revenue water (unaccounted-for water), were put forward.
In the end the PUC adopted a recommendation of their staff which was modified a bit from the first recommendation:
> The existing monthly charge of $22.90 will rise 47.0% to $33.67 for the typical 5/8 x 3/4 inch meter.
> The company’s existing monthly surcharge of $3.79 to service a loan for a water tank will continue.
> The company may file – within 30 days – for an additional fixed monthly charge to recover the revenue that otherwise would have been collected had the new rates been put into effect in April 2012. The “lost revenue” may be collected over 36 months by means of this charge.
> The existing rate for water consumed will remain unchanged at $5.45 per hundred cubic feet of water.
> The company must file annual reports with the PUC on non-revenue (“lost” or “unaccounted for”) water from 2012 through 2016. These reports will be public documents and will provide insight to the company’s success in reducing non-revenue water.
You can read the action of the California PUC – a Resolution – by following link below. The resolution has background, discussion, comments, and findings all of which provide some context to the Commissioner’s decision.
Cold Springs Water Rate Increase 2013-04-18