Hearing on Global Water rate increase set for Monday

A public hearing on rate increases for utilities managed by Global Water will be held 10 a.m. Monday at the Arizona Corporation Commission offices, 1200 W. Washington St. in Phoenix.

Last summer, Global Water filed seven applications requesting rate increases for its various utilities. These include the Santa Cruz Water Company and the Palo Verde Utilities Company, which serves the Maricopa area.

The Santa Cruz Water Company is requesting an annual revenue increase of about $2.7 million, or 27.8 percent. Residential customers with 5/8-inch and 3/4-inch meters, with usage of 7,000 gallons per month, would see their monthly rates increase from $33.16 to $50.

The Palo Verde Utilities Company, which provides wastewater service, requested an annual revenue increase of about $3.7 million, or 28.9 percent. Residential customers with 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch meters would see their monthly rates increase from $62.91 to $78.63.

In accordance to an agreement between Maricopa and Global Water, the rate changes for city residents would be phased in over several years, with each year limited to a 5 percent increase for the median residential user. 

Global Water and other parties involved in the rate case will begin settlement discussions Tuesday. These discussions are confidential. 
According to the Residential Utility Consumer Office, if a settlement agreement is reached, the agreement will be filed on Aug. 12. Testimony in support or against the agreement followed by responsive testimony will be filed in the weeks that follow.

The city of Maricopa filed direct testimony concerning the rate increase on July 8. To read the testimony, click here: http://images.edocket.azcc.gov/docketpdf/0000146381.pdf.