Roats Water System in Bend seeks 32 percent rate hike

Roats Water System Inc. on the south side of Bend has filed a request with the Oregon Public Utility Commission to increase its rates by about 32.5 percent, its first proposed increase since 2006, the agency said Thursday.

The PUC said a pre-hearing conference, will be scheduled with the time and location to be announced.

Members of the commission staff and Roats Water officials will be available to answer questions after the meeting.

Interested parties not able to attend the hearing may submit comments. Instructions to submit comments will be outlined in the pre-hearing conference notice.

In a legal notice published Sunday, Roats said it was seeking to increase revenues to cover costs “and allow the company to receive a reasonable return on its investment.”

indicated Roats also is in negotiations with the city of Bend to purchase portions of the former Juniper Utilities water system. It’s expected to be executed on July 1 and will add 821 residential customers and 796 irrigation customers to the Roats system.

Roats also is seeking to establish a public fire protection fee to cover the cost of maintaining Roats’128 public fire hydrants.

Current average monthly bills of about $36 to $104 would rise to $43 to $174 under the proposed rate increases, based on average use patterns..