Gardens dying despite nearby water source

Residents asked to contact ACC members

At an Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) hearing on May 18, the ACC staff and hearing judge requested clarification of the Water Augmentation Surcharge/Emergency Rate Tariff (surcharge for hauling or temporary pipeline) and suggested changes to the Curtailment Tariff (Stages). And at the April community presentations there were concerns about low water users having to reduce even further.

These have been addressed by Brooke Utilities/Payson Water Company along with input from the ACC staff and the Mesa Del Water Committee. Listed below is a brief summary of the changes to the Curtailment Tariff (Stages) docket no. W-03514a-10-0117:

1. Customers who use 4,000 gallons per month or less based on a 12-month rolling average are exempt from the mandatory (30-40-50%) reduction in daily use.
2. The definition of "daily use" has been modified so that the percentage reductions (20-30-40-50%) are taken from the higher of: (a) the immediate preceding month's actual water consumption, or (b) water consumption for the same month in any one of the 2 previous years.
3. The requirement that a customer must face automatic fines and penalties for violation of the Stages has been changed to provide the Payson Water Co. flexibility in determining whether such fines and penalties are warranted. In the case of a water leak, or something else beyond the customer's control, Payson Water Co would not have to automatically assess fines and penalties.
4. Payson Water Co. will segregate any fines and penalties collected under the Curtailment Tariff (Stages) in a separate account to offset any water augmentation cost (hauling or temporary pipeline).

All documents can be viewed on the ACC website (http://www.azcc.gov/default.asp) under the edocket tab searching for Docket nos: W-03514A-10-0116 and W-03514A-10-0117.

The ACC also required Payson Water Co. to mail another Public Notice to all it's Mesa Del Caballo customers. You will be receiving your copy this week. The Judge did not feel that adequate notice of the surcharge cost was given. (Even though four public meetings were held in April.)

The community needs to be able to water outside so our vegetable gardens and plants don't die and this won't happen without the tariffs being approved by the ACC.

The Water Committee is upset with the seemingly unnecessary delay by the ACC. Previously we had hoped for a June hearing date with the ACC, but it now appears the earliest the ACC could rule on these changes would be July 13 and it could be even later than that. (Can our plants survive until then??)

Please email or call the ACC now: Gary Pierce (602-542-3933), pierce-web@azcc.gov, Kristin Mayes, (602 542-4143)mayes-web@azcc.gov; Paul Newman (602)-542-3682, newman-web@azcc.gov; Sandra Kennedy 602) 542-3625, kennedy-web@azcc.gov and Bob Stump, (602) 542-3935, stump-web@azcc.gov and encourage them to act promptly in the best interest of this community on these: Docket nos: W-03514A-10-0116 and W-03514A-10-0117. We have a water source less than 2 miles away in Payson and yet our gardens are dying.