By now most of you have received your water bill from EPCOR which shows your new water rate and I am sure you are shocked. Well, the worst is yet to come.

On July 7, 2014 the Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) applied for a rehearing of Arizona Corporation Commission Decision No. 74568, which granted EPCOR a very large increase in our water rates, as well as fees and surchages.

RUCO believes that the aforementioned order favors EPCOR shareholders at the expense of the ratepayers (you and me).

The problematic areas are: Depreciation Expense, SIB District and Cost of Capital.

The question is why should an equity-rich company (EPCOR) be able to continue to recover depreciation expense on a fully depreciated plant, and be granted a SIB district when in their own words they did not need it at this juncture?

The Arizona Corporation Commission did not consider any of RUCO’s amendments and only deliberated EPCOR’S proposed amendments. The AZ Corporation Commission did not even consider the rate impact to the ratepayers. This is an injustice to you and me.

As far as I am concerned there is no balance in their order. I am pleased that RUCO has submitted an application for rehearing, and ask that residents please write or call the Arizona Corporation Commission at 602-542-4251 and voice your concerns.

Residents in the Agua Fria District, operated by EPCOR, are outraged too and have been complaining about the outrageous water rates being charged by EPCOR.

Let’s stop this abuse in its tracks!