Sewer rates to increase 3.8%

The West Virginia Public Service Commission has granted a 0.39% rate increase and a temporary surcharge of 3.45% to the Warm Springs Public Service District.

The temporary surcharge will be in effect until a deficit of $112,239 in bond payments to the state’s Municipal Bond Commission is made up.

According to District Manager Rodney Hovermale, a customer using the minimum, based on 3,000 gallons of water discharged into the sewer system, will see their monthly rate increase $1.47 from $38.07 to $39.54.

Monthly bills for customers paying the flat rate will increase by $2.16 a month from $55.89 to $58.05.
The new rates will be reflected on the bills mailed out July 31, Hovermale said.

Once the bond deficit is satisfied and surcharge removed, those paying the minimum will see their bills reduced by $1.32 a month and customers paying the flat rate will see their bills reduced by $1.94 a month.

Asked how long the surcharge will be in effect, Hovermale said, “We are probably looking at two years.”
In an email to The Morgan Messenger dated June 1, Hovermale wrote, “We filed this case in November 2010 and it took until two days ago to finalize the case. As our revenues have continued to decline since filing the case, we have been successful in cutting expenses to try to keep even. This surcharge is the boost we need to get back in the black.”

Board members now paid
The board of the Warm Springs Sewer System voted on March 14 to start being paid for attending meetings. State law allows board members to be paid up to $100 per meeting.

Previous boards had forgone the payment. The $100 is paid to board members out of the District’s budget.
Sewer system manager Rodney Hovermale said the vote to pay board members Paul Zorich, Mike Jenkins and Joyce Altomare was unanimous, though Jenkins has declined to accept the payments.

The vote took place at the Wednesday, March 14 meeting.