EPCOR Docket No. WS-01303A-17-0257

Discussion in 'Sun City General Discussions' started by SCR, Nov 5, 2017.

  1. SCR

    SCR Active Member

    EPCOR Docket No. WS-01303A-17-0257

    Currently, if I am not mistaken, there are at least 2 threads on this board regarding the current EPCOR rate case for consolidation of the 11 water districts that EPCOR serves.

    As can be seen by all using TOSC, there is very little participation in these specific threads and the majority of posters are the same familiar posters to most of the other threads on TOSC.

    To me, this is very revealing. It tells me that there is little concern over this rate case and most if not all Sun City folk have become complacent and resigned themselves to this increase. The turnout at the dog and pony show provided by EPCOR at the Rec centers also bears this out. This may be due to folks not being aware that the TOSC site even exists. Also, it could be that more folks use Facebook and other social media sites more than anything else.

    When the waste water consolidation rate case was front and center there seemed to be more reaction from Sun City residents than there is now. I suspect that since the ACC (ALJ) approved that consolidation folks feel that there is no point in fighting this consolidation rate case. They seem to have left the waste water consolidation rate case appeal and the current pending one in the hands of Greg Eisert. From what I have read both on TOSC and the ACC website, Greg has spent many hours advocating for all Sun City residents to prevent the consolidation and in formulating an appeal to the ACC over the waste water consolidation. I commend Greg for his gallant efforts, but we should not expect one person to carry the burden for all of us. Greg can lead the charge, but he needs an army behind him to carry out a successful campaign against water and waste water consolidation. Donating money is admirable, but it will take more than money to appeal the waste water consolidation. It still requires personal involvement from all Sun City residents. We cannot just donate money and walk away and expect Greg to do all the work.

    In the waste water consolidation case there were lots of form letters to the ACC all pretty much stating the same thing. “We are a poor community living on a fixed income”. Granted, there are probably some folks who are currently strapped for cash, but Sun City is not poor. Look around. New roofs on any given day. New cars in the driveway.
    Renovations all over Sun City. Multiple homes owned. Solar panels being installed. We cannot continue to use the argument “We are on a fixed income”. We need facts, figures and examples of the fact the all water districts are not created equal. We do not all receive the same service. EPCOR only listed 11 of the 21 water districts they serve. Why? Will the other 10 districts be brought up in another rate case creating another rate hike?

    I’m just throwing out food for thought here and I would suggest that all matters regarding the current EPCOR Rate case be confined to one thread so that all comments, thoughts, and ideas are not spread out over multiple threads.

    By the way, there is more opposition to this rate case from other districts than I have seen from Sun City so far on the ACC website.

    Also worth noting is that New River and Desert Hills has asked EPCOR to take over being their water Supplier. Apparently both these communities have to have water trucked in and the contract for that ends at the end of the year. If EPCOR does take on New River and Desert Hills they will have to build infrastructure which means all current rate payers will have to absorb that cost.
    New River, Desert Hills look to water utility to solve supply pr - Arizona's Family
     
  2. Cynthia

    Cynthia Well-Known Member

    SCHOA did make the waste water issue known, but after the fact for appeal. Does anyone out there know if they have the same plans for this increase?
     
  3. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    My fear is exactly as you pointed SCR, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Acquiring smaller water companies and buying up those yet developed will become the order of the day and we'll be eating higher and higher costs all at the mantel of "economies of scale." The real travesty here is the republicans representing us are all in the room bemoaning what is happening, but their right wing friends on the ACC could care less. Makes you wonder how much any of us really matter.

    I agonize about what this will do to so many folks in this community. Look for those condo associations with grass to see their monthly assessments spike by $40 or $50. But don't despair, the solution is to tack on massive monthly fees to offer help to those who can't afford it. Don't you all just love a process controlled by a gang of five?
     
  4. aggie

    aggie Well-Known Member

    What I don't understand is how they set the minimum gallons of usage for their set fees. We always use less than 4000 gallons and are here year round. EPCOR continually uses the figure of 7000 gallons as the average usage for Arizona. Does this figure represent Sun City's average usage for non-commercial residences? Our bill is always the minimum charge for water/wastewater but it would make sense to only bill for the actual water/waste water used instead of always being billed for 4000 gallons. Just not right in my mind.
     
  5. SCR

    SCR Active Member

    EPCOR is replacing or modifying current meters so that they can be read using RTF thus negating the need for meter readers to roam the streets to read your meter. Current meters are not capable of providing your actual usage numbers. They give reading to the nearest 1000 gallons. You are billed at multiple rates based on thousands of gallons used such as;
    4000 Gallons used Billed at
    1000 Gallons @ 0.74
    2000 Gallons @ 1.08
    1000 Gallons @ 1.69

    This is similar to but not exactly the same as the way you are billed for electricity and gas is used. Electric and gas are billed on actual amounts used using different rate tiers. EPCOR however does not have meters that bill per gallon, only per thousand gallons. I don’t fully understand why EPCOR bases everything on an average of 7000 gallons but in my mind that is not a fair and accurate assessment for every rate payer. Not everyone uses 7000 gallons of water per month.

    If EPCOR has to replace 50 million worth of meters, any new meter should be able to record actual gallons of water used for each and every customer. Every customer has different water needs and uses different amounts of water. Those who use the most water should pay higher rates. Those who conserve should pay lower rates.

    Should this rate case be approved, it will force many people to monitor their usage and conserve water. However, in the long term this conservation will result in further rate increases. Conservation will cost EPCOR revenue and they will petition the ACC for a rate increase to keep their revenue the same or better going forward.
     
  6. SCR

    SCR Active Member

    So what was the turn out for the EPCOR open house on March 19th?

    I attended the 1pm to 3pm session and was shocked that there were maybe 50 people in attendance.

    How many attended the evening session?

    If the evening session had the same low attendance it would suggest that the residents of Sun City have become apathetic and resigned to EPCORs rate increases.

    This has become the norm in Sun City.

    Because of apathy, the board takes direction from the GM (instead of the GM taking direction from the board) and the residents have unwillingly given complete
    control of Sun City to the GM.

    Sun City is no longer the Sun City of your parents and grand parents.
     
  7. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Damn, didn't get to either meeting; just forgot. Sadly, E is right, the existing commissioners are the reason we are looking at massive increases. They could care less about what Sun City residents think.

    I did go to the SCHOA meeting Monday morning regarding the changes to their Articles of Incorporation. Funny thing is, not a mention of the meetings that afternoon and evening. I learned a long time ago every time you had a group of people in a room, it simply became a teachable moment. At the very least, a friendly reminder of the meeting three hours later was in order. Start with the assumption people know less than you think and you will most likely be spot on.
     

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