Hearing set on proposed Algoma Water rate hike

A second hearing — this one on the Algoma Water System — will be conducted by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission during a visit to Bonner County next week.

The Sagle area water system is seeking to raise rates for its roughly 22 residential and five commercial customers. In its application to IPUC, system officials are seeking approval to increase residential customer rates to $54 per month and increase commercial customer rates to $89 per month.

The commission can approve, deny or modify the proposed increase.

IPUC staff held a workshop on Algoma Water's request Wednesday to share information on the request. That workshop is being followed by a hearing Wednesday, Oct. 18, to take testimony on the proposed rate increase.

The workshop and public hearings were recommended by IPUC staff to gather public input on the proposed rate increase.

The hearing will from 1 to 3 p.m. and be held at Sandpoint Community Hall, 204 S. First Ave. Those interested in listening to the hearing can call 1-415-655-0001 and enter meeting number "2630 107 4654" when prompted. In-person attendance is required to submit testimony.

To participate in the meeting via the phone, call 1-415-655-0001 and enter meeting number "2633 090 8387" when prompted.

In seeking the rate increase, Algoma Water officials told IPUC that they plan to operate under the proposed rate structure for "a few years." They would then reevaluate their costs and determine if another increase was needed at that time.

In documents filed on IPUC websites, two residents filed comments on the proposed rate hike, both of whom called on IPUC to deny the request.

"I think it’s ridiculous that I have to pay for runoff for water that’s already almost $50 a month and you wanna up at $90 a month for water runoff seems a bit ridiculous," David Daniels wrote the commission in early May.

Fellow resident Todd Kelley also called for the commission to deny the request, calling the proposal "very aggressive and excessive."

Both noted they have septic tanks and the costs to maintain those systems are born by themselves.

"A 100% increase for access to this field seems absurd," Kelley said.

Comments are being accepted until Oct. 18, and are required to be filed through the commission’s website or by e-mail unless computer access is not available. Algoma Water will then have until Nov. 1 to reply to comments on the proposed increase.

To comment using the commission’s website, please visit puc.idaho.gov and click on the “Case Comment Form” link on the upper left side of the page. Please use case number AWS-W-23-01 when filling out the form. If submitting comments through e-mail, comments are required to be sent to Algoma and the commission secretary at the e-mail addresses listed below.

Testimony will become part of the formal record, IPUC officials said.

Information: puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/7027