PUBLIC NOTICE TO ALL CUSTOMERS OF THE
BRUCE MUNICIPAL WATER AND SEWER UTILITY
The Bruce Municipal Water and Sewer Utility has filed an application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) to increase water rates. The increase is necessary due to a 152.18 percent increase in gross plant investment and a 46.27 percent increase in operating expenses since the last water rate case was completed in 2013. The total increase in water revenues requested is $93,087 which will result in an estimated overall rate increase of 62.14 percent over the water utility’s present revenues.
If the request is granted, the water bill for an average residential customer with a ⅝-inch or ¾-inch meter who uses 7,000 gallons of water per quarter will increase from $63.64 to $105.65, or 66.01% (not including the public fire protection (PFP) charge) or $63.64 to $123.80 (including the PFP charge). A typical residential customer’s bill would rise 94.53 percent, which includes the overall increase from the rate case and the Utility’s request to switch from 100 percent municipal PFP charge to a combination of municipal and direct PFP charges.
The Utility currently collects $54,586 annually from the Village of Bruce (Village) for providing PFP to the Village. This cost, which is 100 percent of the total PFP cost, covers the additional storage, pumping, and distribution required to provide the high flows and pressures needed to fight fires. The Village collects the funds for the current municipal PFP charge of
$54,586 from property taxes and pays this charge to the water utility. The Utility has requested Commission authorization to change the method of recovering the PFP charge from the current municipal PFP charge to a combination of both a municipal PFP charge and direct PFP charges that are collected directly from water utility customers. This change in the method of recovering the PFP charge will allow for the collection of a portion of PFP charges from property owners who are not subject to property taxes. Commission staff’s proposed Exhibit allocates 50 percent of the annual charge for PFP service to the Village. The remaining 50 percent will be billed to retail general service and non-general service customers.
A telephonic public hearing on the application has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 31, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. This hearing has no physical location. Parties and Commission staff appear by audiovisual connection over the internet. Parties and Commission staff may use the audio-only telephone connection as a backup, or if no practicable internet connection exists. Members of the public attend by audiovisual connection over the internet, or by audio-only telephone connection.
Join by audiovisual connection at:
To join by telephone:
| Dial: | + 1 312 626 6799 | |
| Enter: | 809 513 2930 # (Meeting ID) |
Each participant shall provide their name, and status as either a party representative, Commission staff, or a member of the public. Each participant using the internet connection shall provide this information in the “Join Meeting” dialog screen, or by renaming the participant’s screenname after gaining admittance to the hearing. Each person connecting by telephone shall provide this information immediately after gaining admittance to the hearing
Upon connecting to the hearing, each participant will enter a waiting room and await admittance to the hearing. Before commencing the hearing, the ALJ will admit each participant who connected before the designated start time. The ALJ will admit each participant who connects after the hearing begins at the earliest opportunity that does not disrupt the hearing. Each member of the public shall remain muted until the ALJ invites that person to comment.
The Commission will livestream the audio of this hearing on its website. The livestream allows anyone to listen to the hearing without connecting to it as described above. To access the livestream, go to the Commission’s website at http://psc.wi.gov, and select “Live Broadcast” button. The live broadcast webpage provides neither: 1) an opportunity to make a comment, nor 2) closed captioning.
A person may testify in this proceeding without becoming a party and without attorney representation. A person may submit this testimony in only one of the following ways:
- Web Comment. File a comment on the internet. Go to the Commission’s web site at http://psc.wi.gov, click on “File a Comment”. On the next page select the “File a comment” link that appears for docket number 810-WR-103. Web comments shall be received no later than Friday, September 3, 2021.
- Oral Comment. Speak over the telephone during the public session. The Administrative Law Judge may receive an oral comment from any member of the public in attendance after the close of any party and Commission staff testimony. The Administrative Law Judge will receive an oral comment by unmuting each phone connection one at a time and inquiring into the each caller’s desire to comment.
- Mail Comment. Send a comment by U.S. Mail. All comments submitted by U.S. Mail shall be received no later than Friday, September 3, 2021 and shall be addressed to: Attn: Docket 810-WR-103 Comments, Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 7854, Madison, WI 53707-7854.
All documents in this docket are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Records Filing (ERF) system. To view these documents: (1) go to the Commission’s E-Services Portal at http://apps.psc.wi.gov, (2) enter “810-WR-103” in the box labeled “Quick Single Docket Search,” and (3) select “Documents”.
If you have any questions, please contact the Bruce Municipal Water and Sewer Utility
at (715) 868-2185.