Readers say water-rate hike would be ‘devastating’

Eighty-nine percent of 392 respondents to InMaricopa.com’s poll on a proposed Global Water rate increase answered the hike would be: “Devastating to my fiscal bottom line.”

Twenty-five percent said they understood the need for an increase, but they didn’t like it.

The rate-increase proposal is scheduled to go before the Arizona Corporation Commission July 15.

.The Global Water rate increase task force met Feb. 11 with representatives from the Residential Utility Consumer Office to discuss the water utility rate hearing and how residents can offer feedback on the proposed increase.

The consumer office reviews all utility rate increase applications filed with the ACC and represents the interests of Arizona residents in rate-related proceedings.

Global Water is requesting an increase that translates into a monthly rate increase of $16.84, from $33.16 to $50, for a residential customer served by a 5/8-inch and 3/4-inch meter that uses 7,000 gallons per month for its Santa Cruz water system.

The rate hike would fund a 27.8 percent increase, about an additional $2.7 million.

For its Palo Verde sewage company, residential customers served by 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch water meters would see an increase from $62.91 to $78.63, or 25 percent. That increase would fund a 28.9 percent increase of its current gross annual revenues, approximately $3.6 million.

Three percent of poll respondents said they didn’t care about the increase, and 2 percent said they agree with a proposed rate hike and understand the need for it.