Anthem Water Epcor Rates

Anthem Water Epcor Rates

Epcor rates Anthem Arizona

The Arizona Corporation Commission voted 3-2 in favor of Anthem water Epcor rates at a hearing on March 28, 2019. Here’s what the final decision means to Anthem east-side residents:

Results From Anthem water Epcor rates

  • Rates for Anthem ratepayers will increase, on average, 36%. This is just on your water bill; not wastewater or your TOTAL bill. The new rates will be volumetric, meaning based on a customer’s water usage (EPCOR’s application proposed a $2.65 surcharge per thousand gallons of consumption). Therefore, the 36% increase is calculated using a “typical” customer’s use of 7,000 gallons/month with a 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch meter.
    If you use less, your new bill will not be as high as those who use more.
  • Final rate schedules will be posted by EPCOR and the Commission on or before April 5. The amendments that passed, some of which benefit Anthem ratepayers, impact the final amount that EPCOR can collect. Therefore, the rate increase might be less.
  • The new rates will be effective April 1, 2019.
  • The interim rates will be in effect until a new, permanent rate case is filed, heard and voted upon. EPCOR has until May 1, 2020 to file a new case, using 2019 as their “test year” to establish new rates. Based on past cases, the hearing on that case could extend through 2020.
  • The new rate case in 2020 MUST include options for geographically adjacent or similar district consolidation options. The case that failed to pass earlier this year was for total statewide consolidation of the 11 districts (not regional consolidation). Based on the preliminary data from that case, regional consolidation could benefit Anthem ratepayers.
  • If the rates in the 2020 case end up being LESS than the interim rates, customers will be refunded the difference for that time period plus interest.
  • Low-income, disabled veteran, and deployed service member/family programs are available through Epcor. Contact EPCOR directly for Anthem water Epcor rates.

Look at the Numbers

Here’s how that looks in numbers. If a household uses 7,000 gallons/month, that’s about 233 gallons/day (that is the average use in Anthem). The interim rate is ABOUT $2.65 more/1,000 gallons used (“about” because the final numbers won’t be released until next week).

“While any increase is unacceptable in our opinion, the final result is better than the 59% increase that Anthem ratepayers were facing just a few months ago,” said Kristi Northcutt, Director of Public Affairs for the Anthem Community Council. She served as an intervener in the case along with Board President Roger Willis.

“Regional consolidation holds some promise for our district. So while our ratepayers must unfortunately endure an increase in this interim period, there does seem to be hope for a better outcome next year,” she said.

EPCOR will host a community meeting at the Civic Building in the near future to explain these changes, the impact to Anthem ratepayers, and next steps. Meeting dates will be announced and you can attend at the Anthem Civic Building.

History of the case

On March 12, 2019, the Administrative Law Judge overseeing the EPCOR interim rate case issued a Recommended Opinion and Order on EPCOR’s application. She recommended a 26% increase to Anthem water Epcor rates on an interim basis, for a flat increase of $13.39/month based on 7,000 gallons usage. EPCOR’s application called for a 36% increase for Anthem. In the previous case, which reached a 2-2 indecision in January (one Commissioner was recused), the judge showed a bill of $81.01 for Anthem residents, or a 59% increase.

Action for Owners (Anthem water Epcor rates)

As many owners know, the water meters in the Anthem Country Club are 1 inch.  The water meter can be decreased to 5/8 inch which will save you a substantial amount of money.  Your ROI (return on investment) can start as soon as 8-10 months.  Also, many homes in Parkside area are eligible for the same discount.

The key in Parkside is check your meter size on your Epcor bill.  If it states you have a 1 inch meter odds are that you can go to 5/8 inch meter.  There are a couple of things that the homeowner must do to take advantage of this offering.  You must hire a certified engineer to see if you are eligible.  The cost of this is about $200.00.  They will prepare the paperwork to you and you need to send it to Epcor.  Epcor will charge you a $205.00 fee unless you have had service for 6 years and Epcor has not changed out the meter in the past six years.  For more information you can contact me via email or call me at 623-512-0828.

 

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About the Author

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Gary Drew

An extensive and successful career in 1’s and zeros has served Gary Drew very well in the alternative universe of Real Estate. His previous senior level engineering and management experience has been an invaluable asset to his clients when negotiating pricing, leveraging comparable analytics, and playing to win on behalf of buyers and sellers fortunate enough to be represented by this dynamic and confi dent professional. Gary was born in the San Francisco. He grew up in Woodside, California and was a good student who also played football, basketball and baseball. “I played against Barry Bonds and like to think that helped his career” laughs Gary. He carried that competitive enthusiasm to play hard and win to both his past engineering sales role and to his current Real Estate career. He loves to visit St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and fi sh on the Kenai River in Alaska while growing up. These are places he returns to often as an adult, “to recharge my batteries”. But the competitive spirit is never completely abandoned, and he holds the certifi cates for catching a trophy Silver Salmon (21.5 LBS) and a King Salmon (73 LBS). Gary attended DeVry University and graduated with an engineering degree in 1984. He moved back to California and started his fi rst career in Silicon Valley. He became a very successful executive, working for several engineering fi rms including Bytex, Cayman Systems, DQ Technology and others. Gary served as a Field Engineer and Sales Manager building businesses for companies in the US, Asia, Europe and South America. “It was an exciting time in my life” says Gary. “It was a great time to be in the tech fi eld.” A job transfer to Phoenix in 2001 included a marriage, a home, kids, and a desire for a career with less travel and more home-time. Family infl uence is powerful, and in 2004, Gary was introduced to the Real Estate profession by his Mother, a successful Realtor in the valley. He became licensed and subsequently became the Designated Broker of one of the top Real Estate companies in Anthem AZ. Connecting the dots between high tech and real estate, it’s easy to see how Gary’s analytical background, his experience and passion for negotiation and contracts plus love of numbers converge to create a powerful ally when representing a buyer or a seller. Add to that, years of people management experience and an overriding desire to win now you’ve got the reason why Gary Drew lands in the top 3% of his profession year after year. Today, Gary is an Associate Broker and Sales Manager for a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in Anthem AZ. He is a single Father raising a teenage daughter and to those who have experienced that he says "hanging on to my ego for dear life.” He still enjoys traveling, sports and plays golf whenever work and home allow.” I’m so lucky to be doing what I love. Life is good.”

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