Notice of Utility Tariff Filing
The REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA (Commission) gives notice that the Municipality of Anchorage d/b/a Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU), on behalf of Anchorage Sewer Utility, filed TA161-126 proposing revisions to rules for extending service to new customers. Revisions address the process for establishing, funding, and constructing large diameter sewer infrastructure; and a mechanism to allow for private/public joint infrastructure coordination agreements. AWWU also updates existing policies for extending service to new customers and updates tariff language impacted by the proposed revisions.
TA161-126 revises Rule 8.2.A (Sewer Improvement Districts) to establish the process for extending service for both trunk and lateral improvement districts, and addresses their respective cost assessments. The utility proposes that a trunk improvement district cannot be created unless more than 50 percent of the parcels bearing the estimated costs vote in favor and provides specific parameters for creating a trunk improvement district project boundary. The proposed tariff changes give AWWU the discretion to choose not to proceed with a trunk improvement district if the project (1) cannot be funded in the six-year Capital Improvement Plan, (2) hinders the utility’s ability to construct higher priority projects, or (3) is not economically feasible for the utility.
AWWU proposes to revise Rule 8.2.B.1 (Levy upon Construction) to address the assessment of costs of trunk and lateral mains constructed by the utility itself rather than through an improvement district or development agreement process. AWWU proposes to clarify the difference between sewer mains constructed by the utility and those constructed through an improvement district with respect to the approval processes, the calculation of project and parcel benefited area, and the calculation of the rate applicable for utility constructed trunk and lateral mains.
In Rule 8.2.B.2 (Sewer Mains Constructed under a Sewer Main Extension Agreement) AWWU proposes a process to assess the costs of utility constructed sewer mains under sewer main extension agreements. AWWU also provides clarifying language to existing tariff provisions and addresses the creation of sewer trunk improvement districts. The proposed tariff language is similar to the utility constructed sewer main requirements with the exception that an assessment shall be levied upon a parcel if the date of connection occurs within three years of acceptance of improvements. With each proposed revision to its assessment methods, AWWU proposes to remove the 25 percent reduction currently used to calculate the benefited area of a parcel larger than four acres.
AWWU also proposes to revise Rule 9 (Standards for Service Connections and Service Extensions) including adding language outlining conditions when direct connection by a customer to a trunk main is authorized instead of requiring construction of and connection to a lateral main. In addition, AWWU proposes to add a new tariff rule allowing for private/public joint infrastructure coordination agreements to coordinate the study, design, or construction of sewer infrastructure.
This notice does not contain every pertinent revision or request associated with the filing. The Commission may approve a rate or classification, which varies from those proposed. You may obtain more information about this filing by contacting Karen Bell, Regulatory Affairs Manager, AWWU at 3000 Arctic Boulevard, Anchorage, AK 99503-3898; phone: (907) 786-5504. The complete filing is also available for inspection at the Commission's office, at 701 West Eighth Avenue, Suite 300, Anchorage, AK 99501; phone: (907) 276-6222 or may be viewed at the Commission’s website at http://rca.alaska.gov by typing “TA161-126” in the Find a Matter search box.
To comment on this filing, please file your comments by 5:00 p.m., February 21, 2017, at the Commission address given above or via our website at:
https://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/WhatsNew/PublicNoticesComments.aspx
Please reference TA161-126 and include a statement that you have filed a copy of the comments with AWWU at its address given above or by email at info@awwu.biz. Individuals or groups of people with disabilities, who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or service, or alternative communication formats, please contact Joyce McGowan at (907) 276-6222, toll-free at 1-800-390-2782, or TTY (907) 276-4533 or send a request via electronic mail to rca.mail@alaska.gov by February 14, 2017.
DATED at Anchorage, Alaska, this 19th day of January, 2017.
REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA
Bernie Smith
Engineering Section Manager