The Board of Public Utilities will consider a proposed water rate increase at the August 17th Public Hearing. Do you have any feedback for the Board?

The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) will bring to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) on August 17 a draft ordinance to increase retail and wholesale water rates by 10-percent.  Open to the public, the hearing on the proposed rate is scheduled for:

Wednesday, August 17th at 5:30 PM
Municipal Building, Council Chambers
1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM.  

If approved, the draft ordinance will be introduced to the Los Alamos County Council on August 30 to be scheduled for a public hearing on September 27.  Council will consider adoption of the ordinance at that time.

Recent water sales have not matched the forecasted volume, driving the need for a rate increase. Rates are designed to allow the DPU to recover its costs, as well as bring in reasonable revenue to maintain reliable water services to Los Alamos County.      

COMMENTS

Please provide comments on this open forum page before 11:59PM on Monday August 15.  All comments from this forum will be shared with the Board of Public Utilities prior to the hearing.  Members of the public are also welcome to provide public comment in person to the BPU at the August 17th hearing. 

RETAIL RATES

The draft ordinance proposes a 10-percent rate increase across the board for retail customers' monthly service fee and the commodity rate. Retail customers include commercial, county/schools, residential, and multifamily.  

MONTHLY SERVICE FEE

Water Meter Size	Existing Monthly Fee	Proposed Monthly Fee
1-1/4 inch & under	$7.93	$8.72
1-1/2 inch	$25.12	$27.63
2-inch	$37.50	$41.25
2-1/2-inch, 3-inch	$74.00	$81.40
4-inch	$126.00	$138.60
6-inch	$266.00	$292.60
8-inch	$439.50	$483.45

COMMODITY RATE: 

The commodity rate for all commercial, county and school customers is one rate per 1,000 gallons consumed all year. 

Residential and multifamily customers are on a seasonal water rate.  Off-peak season begins October 1 through April 30 and is one rate per 1,000 gallons consumed with no tiers (the same as commercial, county and school customers).   

Customer Class	Existing Rate	Proposed Rate
Commercial (all year)	$4.19/1,000 gallons	$4.61/1,000 gallons
County/Schools (all year)	$4.19/1,000 gallons	$4.61/1,000 gallons
Residential (off-peak)	$4.19/1,000 gallons	$4.61/1,000 gallons
Multifamily (off-peak)	$4.19/1,000 gallons	$4.61/1,000 gallons

Peak Season - Tiered Water Rates

Peak season begins May 1 and continues through September 30. It applies a tiered water rate only to residential and multifamily customers and is designed to recover higher costs associated with higher consumption.  Comprising three different rates per 1,000 gallons consumed the tiers are based on the following: Tier 1) first 9,000 gallons; Tier 2) between 9,000 and 15,000 gallons, and Tier 3) above 15,000 gallons. 

RESIDENTIAL (PEAK SEASON)	Existing Rate	Proposed Rate
Tier 1 Rate: <9,000 gallons	$4.19/1,000 gallons	$4.61/1,000 gallons
Tier 2 Rate: 9,000 - 15,000 gallons	$4.45/1,000 gallons	$4.90/1,000 gallons
Tier 3 Rate: >15,000 gallons	$5.32/1,000 gallons	$5.85/1,000 gallons

MULTIFAMILY (PEAK SEASON)	Existing Rate	Proposed Rate
Tier 1 Rate: <9,000 gallons	$4.19/1,000 gallons	$4.61/1,000 gallons
Tier 2 Rate: 9,000 - 15,000 gallons	$4.40/1,000 gallons	$4.84/1,000 gallons
Tier 3 Rate: >15,000 gallons	$4.50/1,000 gallons	$4.95/1,000 gallons

EXAMPLE WATER BILL

The following are examples of a monthly water bill for a typical RESIDENTIAL customer with a one inch meter. 

January (Off-Peak Season) water bill for consumption of 6,000 gallons

January (Off-Peak Season) 6,000 gallons	Existing Rate	Proposed Rate
Monthly Service Fee	$7.93	$8.72
Commodity Rate/1,000 gallons	$4.19 x 6 = $25.14	$4.61 x 6 = $27.66
TOTAL BILL	$33.07	$36.38

July (Peak Season) water bill for consumption of 12,000 gallons.

July (Peak Season) 12,000 gallons	Existing Rate	Proposed Rate
Monthly Service Fee	$7.93	$8.72
Tier 1 Rate/1,000 gallons	$4.19 x 9 = $37.71	$4.61 x 9 = $41.49
Tier 2 Rate/1,000 gallons	$4.45 x 3 = $13.35	$4.90 x 3 = $14.70
TOTAL BILL	$58.99	$64.91

WHOLESALE RATES

Wholesale or bulk water rates apply only to the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Department of Public Utilities Water Distribution Division. These two entities purchase bulk water and then distribute the water to their respective customers.  The draft ordinance proposes a 10-percent increase as follows: 

Wholesale Rates	Existing Rate	Proposed Rate
Monthly Service Fee	$542.00	$596.20
Commodity Rate/1,000 gallons	$2.88	$3.17