Utility proposes rate increases for sewer, water

Great Basin Water Company is requesting to increase its monthly rates for water and sewer service to recover money for completed projects, a utility official said.

In the notice of application before the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, the company proposed an increase of 11.86 percent, or $445,966, to its annual revenue requirement for its water service, for a total revenue of $4.2 million. The increase included a request to raise monthly residential and commercial water rates by nearly 37 percent.

Additionally, the company proposed an increase to its annual revenue requirement for its sewer service division, for a 6.81 percent increase, or $197,272 to its annual revenue requirement of $3.1 million.

According to Tom Oakley, spokesman for the Great Basin Water Company, formerly known as Utilities, Inc. of Central Nevada, the company is seeking to recover money for projects that have already been done.

“That’s the way this process works,” Oakley said. “Additionally, the projects were included in the consumer session for the 2014 IRP (Integrated Resources Plan) and subject to complete review at the time.”

Some of those projects include things like generators, lift stations and Mountain Falls tank painting.

Oakley said some of those projects included a couple of emergency projects such as Nevada Department of Transportation projects that were not anticipated in the Integrated Resource Plan, the forward-looking plan required every three years where the company lays out expected projects and capital spending.

Oakley didn’t say whether the commission plans to conduct public meetings in Pahrump.

“That is up to the commission but we anticipate that there will be consumer sessions because they always seek customer feedback as part of their review,” he said.

According to the utility commission documents, residential users who currently use up to 6,000 gallons of water per month pay $1.28 per 1,000 gallons. Under the proposed increase, their rate would go to $1.74 per 1,000 gallons.

Heavy water users will also face increases. Those who use more than 30,000 gallons of water will have to pay $4.46 per 1,000 gallons of water, up from $3.26 for the same amount of water.

Commercial users who use up to 6,000 gallons of water per month and currently pay $1.48 for 1,000 gallons will pay $2.02 for the same amount, if the proposed hike is approved.

A prehearing conference is scheduled for Feb. 28 at the PUC offices in Las Vegas, with a teleconference in Carson City.

The application is available for public viewing at http://puc.nv.gov, or at the Las Vegas office at 9075 W. Diablo Drive, Suite 250, 89148.

Contact reporter Daria Sokolova at dsokolova@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes