Consumer Outcry Breaks United Water Rate Hike in Half

Consumer Outcry Breaks United Water Rate Hike in Half

To: ENERGY AND STATE EDITORS

Contact: David Irwin, +1-208-855-4004, cell: +1-208-850-4502

Idaho Residents Who Strongly Oppose Plan to Hike Water Bills by 20% See Small Victory - AARP Says Deal is Far From Perfect, But Not as Bad

BOISE, Idaho, Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Idaho consumers, angry by a United Water rate travel ask that would have seen bills soar by 20%, have seen their cheer outcome in a tiny feat over one of Idaho's largest H2O companies. Today, an proclamation was done that United Water has concluded to cut their rate hike in half; AARP Idaho, who opposite a rate hike, says a open done all a disproportion in pushing a new deal.

"Boise residents took a mount opposite an astray rate travel for United Water and won - yet a understanding is distant from perfect, it goes to uncover what can occur when a open creates adequate noise," pronounced Jim Wordelman, State Director for AARP Idaho. "Nobody likes increases to their application bills, nor should they, though a open should feel some clarity of compensation in meaningful they gathering a improved understanding from a absolute application company."

United Water's strange rate travel would have beaten many Treasure Valley residential business with a roughly 20% boost to their monthly H2O bills. Under a new agreement that travel has been halved to an 8% boost in 2012 and a 2.5% boost in 2013, along with a $2 boost to their bi-monthly patron charge. United Water also concluded to boost a volume it provides to business struggling to means their H2O bills from $50 to $65 per customer.

Around Thanksgiving, AARP Idaho awarded United Water a initial annual AARP Gem State Turkey Award for a application company's afterwards due 20% rate hike.

"On interest of all of a members in a Boise area who are United Water customers, AARP opposite an astray rate travel that would have caused some to onslaught to make ends meet," combined Wordelman. "The open will have another possibility to make their voices listened on this understanding during an arriving open hearing, and we're enlivening them to uncover adult and continue to pronounce up."

AARP says open submit can be a vital motorist in application rate travel and regulatory cases, this again, highlights a need for Idaho to emanate a application consumer disciple bureau to safeguard residential consumers and tiny businesses are always during a table. The bureau would paint consumers in application cases, and offer as a watchdog for a groups. Idaho is a usually state in a West lacking such an office. The Idaho Public Utilities Commission serves as an magistrate on rate cases and regulatory issues, not an advocate, that AARP argues is most indispensable in Idaho.

A open conference on a due rate travel understanding will be hold by a Idaho Public Utilities Commission commissioners on Thursday, Jan. 5, during 7 p.m. in a elect conference room during 472 W. Washington St. in Boise.

AARP is Idaho's largest membership classification with over 180,000 members.

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SOURCE AARP Idaho

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News referensi http://news.yahoo.com/consumer-outcry-breaks-united-water-rate-hike-half-230311107.html