Idaho Public Utilities Commission

Case No. UWI-W-11-03, Order No. 32359

September 30, 2011

Contact: Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339, 890-2712

United Water seeks to use unclaimed deposits to benefit customers

United Water Idaho is seeking state authority to transfer about $95,600 in unclaimed customer deposits into a program that assists low-income and disadvantaged customers of the Boise area water utility.

The unclaimed deposits are from developers of water main extensions to subdivisions that were never completed. United Water claims it has made every effort to contact the developers who made deposits of $80,817.48 in 2007 and $14,771.71 in 2008.

State law allows unclaimed customer deposits of more than year after service is terminated to be directed into low-income assistance programs if the Idaho Public Utilities Commission certifies to the state treasurer that a utility participates in a financial assistance program.

United Water seeks to include the unclaimed deposits in its UW Cares program, administered by the El-Ada Community Action Partnership. Since 2005, UW Cares has provided more than $77,000 in grants to 1,600 qualified customers. About $74,000 of that has comes from shareholders and another $3,000 from voluntary customer contributions. The program is not funded by ratepayer dollars.

United Water has a 19.9 percent rate increase pending before the commission. The company announced today it is increasing the annual amount made available through the UW Cares program to qualifying customers from $50 to $65.

The commission is accepting comments on United Water’s application to include the unclaimed deposits in its UW Cares program through Oct. 11. Comments are accepted via e-mail by accessing the commission’s homepage at www.puc.idaho.gov and clicking on "Comments & Questions About a Case." Fill in the case number (UWI-W-11-03) and enter your comments. Comments can also be mailed to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0074 or faxed to (208) 334-3762.

A full text of the commission’s order, along with other documents related to this case, is available on the commission’s Web site. Click on “File Room” and then on “Water Cases” and scroll down to the above case number.

###