Angry pleas for rate hike relief

Hundreds of angry water customers jammed a rare Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) meeting in Payson Friday to complain bitterly about steep proposed increases in the water rates for eight Rim Country communities served by Payson Water Company (PWC), formerly owned by Brooke Utilities.

Residents of Gisela and Deer Creek dominated the testimony, pleading with the three ACC commissioners to reject a company request for a 138 percent increase in average bills.

The rate plan would charge a base rate of $23 a month. People would then pay $4 per 1,000 gallons up to 3,000 gallons, $7.66 per/thousand for the next 7,000 gallons and then $9.62/1,000 gallons for anything above 10,000 gallons per month.

Monthly use averages about 3,000 for the whole system, but varies wildly from one community to the next. Meads Ranch residents average 851 gallons a month while Gisela residents average 6,874 gallons a month.

Gisela and Deer Creek residents mostly complained about that tiered rate structure. Residents of Mesa del Caballo, East Verde Estates, Geronimo Estates and other communities had different complaints.

Mesa del Caballo residents worried about those big increases on top of hefty charges to hook up to Paysons Blue Ridge pipeline.

Other communities like East Verde Estates worried about the additional imposition of water hauling charges when supplies run low in the summer, which could triple their bills.

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Angry pleas for rate hike relief