Sunriver Water seeks state approval of rate hike

Sunriver Water, LLC is looking to increase rates for water service, and Thursday night there was an Oregon Public Utility Commission hearing on the request in Sunriver.

If the proposal is approved, the average home would see a 25 percent increase in its water rate, and the two golf courses they service would see an 85 percent rate hike. The judge overseeing the case wants members of the community to voice their opinion.

“It’s a rate increase, so I don’t expect them to come out and support it,” Administrative Law Judge Patrick Power said. “But I think it’s important that they come out and we try to respond.”

They did come out, and many of them were represented by the Sunriver Owners Association.

“What encourages me very much is that the Sunriver Owners Association has made a decision to be an intervenor in the case,” Sunriver resident Jim Fister said. “Because what that enables the owner’s association to do is to gather input from the owners and to speak for the owners.”

Sunriver Water said it is asking to hike rates due to rising property taxes and inflation. The company wants to give their employees a 3 percent increase in wages and a 13 percent increase in employee pension and benefits.

The additional money also would pay for new capital improvements and build a new test well, among other things.

You can learn more about the rate hike request here: http://www.sunriverowners.org/page/13934~833626/Proposed-Water-Rate-Increase

And at:

http://apps.puc.state.or.us/edockets/docket.asp?DocketID=20642