GREAT OAKS WATER COMPANY

Transcription

1 GREAT OAKS WATER COMPANY California Public Utilities Commission Division of Water and Audits Room Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA July 20, 2016 P.O. Box San Jose, CA (408) Advice Letter 255-W Great Oaks Water Company (U-162-W) to the California Public Utilities Requesting Authority to Update Tariff Schedule No. 9C Great Oaks Water Company (Great Oaks) transmits this Tier 2 advice letter filing updating and revising its Schedule No. 9C tariff for Construction Flat Rate Service. The following changes in tariff schedules applicable to Great Oaks entire service area are proposed: CPUC Sheet No. Title of Tariff Sheet Canceling Sheet No. XXX-W Schedule No. 9C Construction Flat Rate Service 438-W XXY-W Schedule No. 9C Construction Flat Rate Service New (Continued) XXZ-W Table of Contents 813-W Summary of Advice Letter 255-W This advice letter filing requests authorization to update and revise the terms and conditions of Great Oaks Schedule No. 9C in a manner that is consistent with currently Great Oaks Water Company Advice Letter 255-W 1

2 authorized construction flat rate service, as well as with the tariff for construction and other temporary metered service of the nearest California Public Utilities Commission (Commission) regulated water company (San Jose Water Company). The proposed updates to Schedule No. 9C are simple and straightforward: 1. The addition of a 3-inch meter to the tariff with the monthly Service Charge equal to that of a 3-inch meter for General Metered Service; and 2. The addition of security deposits for all construction flat rate service (temporary) meters to protect against theft and damage. Neither of the proposed updates increases or otherwise affects Great Oaks revenues or rates for water service. Discussion of Advice Letter 255-W Request Rates Great Oaks has made temporary construction meters (meters that are attached to and draw from fire hydrants) available since its original Schedule No. 9C was authorized in Commission Decision (D.) Construction meters are routinely used for new construction before normal general metered service is available or during construction when water service through a temporary construction meter is more convenient. Construction meters were initially offered in only one size one-inch meters. Larger 3- inch meters have been requested, and Great Oaks will provide the larger construction meters (3-inch size) upon request. Charging the Schedule No. 1 monthly service charge for 3-inch meters for construction 3-inch meters is entirely consistent with the current Schedule No. 9C rates by which the monthly service charge for one-inch construction meters is equal to the Schedule No. 1 monthly service charge for one-inch meters. The Commission has authorized San Jose Water Company to charge construction meter customers the same monthly service charges as general metered service customers for different size meters. 2 Great Oaks requests similar treatment, as permitted under General Order 96-B, Industry Rule 8.2. Great Oaks and San Jose Water Company offer the same type of construction meter service as authorized by the Commission and the requests made by Great Oaks in this advice letter are entirely consistent with such service offerings and Commission authority. Moreover, Great Oaks request is also entirely consistent with the original grant of authority for Schedule No. 9C in D , in 1 D , Ordering Paragraph 1, authorized Great Oaks to file and make effective the revised tariff schedules in Appendix B to that Decision. Schedule No. 9C was one of the tariff schedules in the Decision s Appendix B. 2 See, e.g., San Jose Water Company Tariff Sheet 1118-W, as authorized by its advice letter 327-W. A copy of San Jose Water Company s Schedule No. 9C is attached hereto as Exhibit A. Great Oaks Water Company Advice Letter 255-W 2

3 that the monthly service charge under Schedule No. 9C is the same as the Schedule No. 1 monthly service charge. Deposits While construction meters are fairly durable, over the years some construction meters have been damaged and rendered unusable, requiring replacement. On occasion, construction meters that have been obtained from Great Oaks have not been returned. In the event of damage to or non-return of construction meters, it is only fair for the user of the meter to bear the expense of repair or replacement, rather than include such expenses in rates. The deposit amounts represent two times the cost of each type of construction meter. One-inch construction meters cost $ each. A one-inch construction meter with a remote-read head costs $ Three-inch construction meters cost $ each. A three-inch construction meter with a remote-read head costs $1, Deposit amounts for each type of meter to be offered under Schedule No. 9C are shown below and are included in the proposed Schedule No. 9C Special Conditions: Meter Refundable Size and Type Deposit 1-inch $ inch (Remote Read) $ inch $1, inch (Remote Read) $2, As with the request for authorization to include 3-inch meters under Schedule No. 9C, the request to include a refundable deposit in the Special Conditions of Schedule No. 9C is based upon General Order 96-B, Industry Rule 8.2. Great Oaks requests similar treatment to that given to San Jose Water Company by the Commission because both water companies offer the same essential service under the same Commission authority. Great Oaks is also requesting to incorporate the same procedures for the handling of the deposits for construction meters as used by San Jose Water Company under its Schedule No. 9C. 3 These procedures are provided in the Special Conditions on the proposed tariff sheets attached hereto. General Order 96-B, Industry Rule 8.2 provides the basis for these requested special conditions. No Effect on Water Service or Rates This Advice Letter filing will not cause the withdrawal of service, nor conflict with other schedules or rules, nor will there be any effect on authorized rates or revenues. 3 See Exhibit A. Great Oaks Water Company Advice Letter 255-W 3

4 Effective Date August 19, 2016 Great Oaks requests that the Tariff Sheets presented with this Advice Letter have an effective date of August 20, Tier Designation This is a Tier 2 Advice Letter pursuant to General Order 96-B and Water Industry Rule 7.3.2(8). Other Pending Advice Letter Advice Letter 254-W is pending at this time. The page numbers for the proposed tariff pages have been left blank and will be completed upon notice of approval. Notice and Service Because this advice letter does not request higher rates or charges than currently authorized and does not request approval of a more restrictive term or condition, notice is being provided by publishing the advice letter on Great Oaks website and by service upon the Distribution List provided below. Protests and Responses Anyone may protest and respond to this Advice Letter. A Response supports the filing and may contain information that proves useful to the Commission in evaluating the Advice Letter. A Protest objects to the Advice Letter in whole or in part and must set forth specific grounds on which it is based. These grounds may be based upon the following: (1) The utility did not properly serve or give notice of the Advice Letter; or (2) The relief requested in the Advice Letter would violate a statute or Commission order, or is not authorized by statute or Commission order on which the utility relies; or (3) The analysis, calculations, or data in the Advice Letter contain material error or omissions; or (4) The relief requested in the Advice Letter is pending before the Commission in a formal proceeding; or (5) The relief requested in the Advice Letter requires consideration in a formal hearing, or is otherwise inappropriate for the Advice Letter process; or (6) The relief requested in the Advice Letter is unjust, unreasonable, or discriminatory (provided that such a Protest may not be made where it would require relitigating a prior order of the Commission). Any Protest or Response must be made in writing or by electronic mail and must be received by the Water Division of the Commission within 20 days of the date this Advice Letter is filed. The Advice Letter process does not provide for any Protests, Responses or Great Oaks Water Company Advice Letter 255-W 4

5 other comments, except for a reply by Great Oaks, after the 20-day comment period expires. The address for mailing or delivering a Protest or Response is: Tariff Unit, Water Division, 3rd floor California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA water_division@cpuc.ca.gov On the same date any Protest or Response is submitted to the Water Division, the protesting or responding person, entity or party must serve a copy of the Protest or Response on Great Oaks addressed to Timothy S. Guster, Great Oaks Water Co., PO Box 23490, San Jose, CA 95153, , (fax), tguster@greatoakswater.com. Great Oaks Water Company /s/ Timothy S. Guster General Counsel Legal and Regulatory Affairs VERIFICATION I am an officer of the Great Oaks Water Company, and am authorized to make this verification on its behalf. The statements in the foregoing document, Great Oaks Water Co. s Advice Letter 255-W, are true of my own knowledge, except as to matters that are therein stated on information and belief, and as to those matters I believe them to be true. I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on July 20, 2016 at San Jose, California. /s/ Timothy S. Guster Great Oaks Water Company Advice Letter 255-W 5

6 Certificate of Service I hereby certify that I have this day served a copy of Great Oaks Water Co. s Advice Letter 255-W on the parties listed on the following Distribution List by mailing a properly addressed copy by first class mail with postage prepaid. Executed on July 20, 2016 at San Jose, California. Great Oaks Water Co. Distribution List /s/ Timothy S. Guster Municipal Water System County Clerk City of San Jose County of Santa Clara 3025 Tuers Road 70 W. Hedding Street San Jose, CA San Jose, CA Safe Drinking Water Office Office of Regulatory Affairs* Department of Water Resources California Water Service Company th Street, Room North First Street Sacramento, CA San Jose, CA Santa Clara Valley Water District Raminder Kahlon 5750 Almaden Expressway Division of Water and Audits San Jose, CA California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA Danilo E. Sanchez Ting-Pong Yuen Division of Ratepayer Advocates Division of Ratepayer Advocates California Public Utilities Commission California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue 505 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA San Francisco, CA Legal Division Regulatory Affairs California Public Utilities Commission San Jose Water Company 505 Van Ness Avenue 110 West Taylor Street San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Jim Fiedler Santa Clara Valley Water District 5750 Almaden Expressway San Jose, CA Great Oaks Water Company Advice Letter 255-W 6

7 GREAT OAKS WATER COMPANY Cal. P.U.C. Sheet No. _xxx-w San Jose, California Canceling Revised Cal. P.U.C. Sheet No. 438-W Schedule No. 9C CONSTRUCTION FLAT RATE SERVICE APPLICABILITY Applicable to all portable metered water service furnished for construction and other temporary purposes. (T) (T) TERRITORY The area in Southeast San Jose, East of Snell Road and South of Hellyer Park. RATES Currently effective monthly service charge for the applicable 1-inch and 3-inch meter and quantity rates listed in Schedule No. 1, General Metered Service, will apply to service furnished under this schedule. SPECIAL CONDITIONS: 1. To obtain water service under this schedule, an applicant must first apply for and obtain written permission from the utility. (T) (T) (N) (I) 2. Applicant will be required to deposit with the utility the amount shown in the table below which corresponds to the size and type of meter used. Meter Size and Type Refundable Deposit 1-inch $ inch (Remote Read) $ inch $1, inch (Remote Read) $2, The refundable deposit is based on two times the cost of the applicable meter. The refundable deposit is less (a) the cost of any repairs other than those due to normal depreciation and (b) any outstanding unpaid water bills, and will be returned to the customer upon return of the meter to the utility. 3. On the last working day of each month, the customer shall call in or mail in (post-marked) to the utility the readings on the meter or meters under permit to the customer. All such read information must contain the meter number and reading as of the last working day of the month. The utility shall bill the customer monthly under its General Metered Service (Schedule No. 1) on the basis of such reading. Failure to so notify the utility for a period in excess of 60 days will result (To be inserted by utility) Issued by (To be inserted by Cal. P.U.C.) Advice Letter No. 255-W Timothy S. Guster Date Filed NAME Decision No. Vice President and General Counsel Effective TITLE Decision/Resolution No. (N) (I)

8 GREAT OAKS WATER COMPANY Original Cal. P.U.C. Sheet No. XXY-W San Jose, California Canceling Cal. P.U.C. Sheet No. Schedule No. 9C CONSTRUCTION FLAT RATE SERVICE (Continued) in loss of permission to retain the portable meter and forfeiture of the refundable meter deposit. (N) 4. No such meter may be retained for a period in excess of one year. Failure to return a meter to utility at the end of one year will result in the denial in the future of such temporary service. 5. When a person takes water from a fire hydrant or other outlet without first having obtained written permission from the utility, the utility shall confiscate any connections used for such unauthorized taking. When a person has written permission to draw water from the utility s service area, but fails to use the meter supplied while drawing water, such failure will result in loss of permission to obtain a portable meter, forfeiture of any meter deposit, and the denial in the future of such temporary service. 6. All bills are subject to the reimbursement fee set forth on Schedule No. UF. (N) (To be inserted by utility) Issued by (To be inserted by Cal. P.U.C.) Advice Letter No. 255-W Timothy S. Guster Date Filed NAME Decision No. Vice President and General Counsel Effective TITLE Decision/Resolution No.

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10 Great Oaks Water Company Advice Letter 255-W Exhibit A San Jose Water Company Tariff Schedule No 9C

11 SCHEDULE NO. 9C CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER TEMPORARY METERED SERVICE PAGE 25 SAN JOSE WATER COMPANY (U168W) Revised Cal. P.U.C. Sheet No W San Jose, California Canceling Revised Cal. P.U.C. Sheet No W APPLICABILITY Schedule No. 9C CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER TEMPORARY METERED SERVICE Applicable to all portable metered water service furnished for construction and other temporary purposes. TERRITORY Portions of Cupertino, San Jose, and Santa Clara, and in Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga and in contiguous territory in the County of Santa Clara. RATES Currently effective monthly service charge for the applicable 1 and 3-inch meter and quantity rates listed in Schedule (T) No. 1, General Metered Service, or in Schedule No. RCW, Recycled Water Metered Service, will apply to service furnished under this schedule. SPECIAL CONDITION 1. To obtain water service under this schedule an applicant must first apply for and obtain written permission from the utility. 2. Applicant will be required to deposit with the utility the amount, shown in the table below, which corresponds to the size and type of meter leased. Non-Refundable Size of Refundable Handling Total Meter Deposit Charge Deposit 1-inch inch 1, , (D) (D) The refundable deposit is based on two times the cost of the applicable meter. The refundable deposit less (a) the cost of any repairs other than those due to normal depreciation, and (b) any outstanding unpaid water bills, will be returned to the customer upon return of the meter to the utility. (Continued) (To be inserted by utility) Issued by (To be inserted by Cal. P.U.C.) Advice No. 327 Dec. No. Palle Jensen Director, Regulatory Affairs TITLE Date Filed Oct Effective Nov Resolution No.

12 CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER TEMPORARY METERED SERVICE (CONTINUED) PAGE 26 SAN JOSE WATER COMPANY (U168W) Revised Cal. P.U.C. Sheet No W San Jose, California Canceling Original Cal. P.U.C. Sheet No. 646-W Schedule No. 9C CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER TEMPORARY METERED SERVICE (Continued) 3. On the last working day of each month the customer shall call-in or mail-in (post-marked) to the utility the readings on the meter or meters under permit to him. All such read information must contain the meter number and reading as of the last working day of the month. The utility will bill the customer monthly under its General Metered Service Schedule (Schedule No. 1) on the basis of such reading. Failure to so notify the utility will result in imposition of a monthly charge of $25 per meter in addition to the monthly charges under such Metered Service Schedule. Failure to so notify the utility for a period in excess of 60 days will result in loss of permit to retain such portable meter and forfeiture of meter deposit. 4. No such meter may be retained for a period in excess of one year. Failure to return a meter to utility at the end of one year will result in the denial in the future of such temporary service. 5. When a person takes water from a fire hydrant or other outlet without first having obtained written permission from the utility, the utility shall assess a fine of $ per occurrence against such person and shall confiscate any connections used for such unauthorized taking. When a person has written permission to draw water from the utility's service area, but fails to use the meter supplied while drawing water, the utility shall assess a fine of $50.00 per occurrence against such person; the failure to use such meter a second time shall result in loss of permit to obtain a portable meter, forfeiture of meter deposit and denial in the future of such temporary service. 6. For recycled water service the City of San Jose is responsible for (N) the determination of customer eligibility for the South Bay Water Recycling Program. The customer is responsible for knowledge of and compliance with all Customer Service Rules for use of recycled water as provided by the City of San Jose in addition to all local, state, and federal rules and regulations that apply from time to time to the use of recycled water, as defined in San Jose Water Company s Rule 1. (N) 7. All bills are subject to the reimbursement fee set forth on Schedule No. UF. (To be inserted by utility) Issued by (To be inserted by Cal. P.U.C.) Advice No. 320 Dec. No. Palle Jensen Director, Regulatory Affairs TITLE Date Filed Mar Effective May Resolution No.