Arbuckle PSD to lower water, sewer rates

Fred Pace
Register-Herald Reporter

March 27, 2008 10:22 pm

— Those who receive water and sewer services from the Arbuckle Public Service District in Minden will soon see a decrease in rates.
“The state Public Service Commission is recommending that the sewer rates be decreased by 9.07 percent from the present emergency rates and the water rates be decreased by 10.99 percent,” PSD director Marvin Zimmerman said.
The PSD was granted an across-the-board 22.2 percent emergency sewer rate increase, which became effective July 4 of last year, and an across-the-board 21.6 percent emergency water rate increase, which became effective June 4, 2007.
“We requested the increases due to increases in the PSD’s overall operation costs,” Zimmerman said. “Fuel costs have skyrocketed, but our increased costs are not in just one area, they are across the board.”
However, a final review of the PSD’s books and records established that the increases had been too high, according to Zimmerman.
Both increases were subject to refunds, but the PSC recommends not issuing them.
“Staff is recommending that no refund be granted due to the terrible financial circumstances of the district,” the PSC said in its report.
According to the notice, customers of the PSD have a right to protest or be heard as to whether the emergency rates were properly reasonable and if the PSC recommended rates should be approved. Customers can also be heard regarding whether refunds should be provided.
Protests must be made in writing within 10 days after the publication of the Class II legal advertisements that are scheduled to be published in The Register-Herald on March 31 and April 7. All protests should be addressed to the Executive Secretary, Public Service Commission of West Virginia, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323.
— E-mail:
fpace@register-herald.com