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2024 COST OF SERVICE & RATE DESIGN STUDY PROCESS

PUBLIC FORUM

Presenting the findings of the Cost of Service & Rate Design Study 

was held on 1/31/2024 @ 5:30 PM

in the EAWSD Public Conf. Room

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On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, Nelisa Heddin, the District's rate study consultant, presented her findings and recommendations of the EAWSD 2024 Rate Study that was conducted over the past year in a Public Forum setting. Ms. Heddin worked closely with the EAWSD Rate Study Advisory Committee to develop a rate schedule to ensure that the District can efficiently manage its revenues to meet all utility expenses and debt obligations and continue to provide reliable water service to its customers over the short-term and long-term. The last rate study was conducted in 2019 and will expire at the end of 2024.

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​Below are links to what was presented at the  1/31/24 Public Forum

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Meeting Minutes from the Public Forum:

 

​​​NEXT STEP FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC FORUM:  3/27/24 PUBLIC HEARING starting at 5:30 PM in the EAWSD Public Conference Room @ 2 N. Chamisa Drive.

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USE THE LINK BELOW  to view the Rate Consultant's final report accepted by the EAWSD Board on 3/20/2024, just before the Public Hearing.

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FINAL REPORT: 

submitted by Nelisa Heddin, Rate Study Consultant, to the EAWSD Board for consideration and acceptance at their 3/20/24 Board meeting and later, presented as supporting documentation at the 3/27/24 Public Hearing.

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PUBLIC RATE HEARING

Presenting the Cost of Service

& Proposed 2025-2029 Rate Schedule 

was held on 3/27/24 @ 5:30 PM

in the EAWSD Public Conf. Room

 

On Wednesday, March 27th, approximately eighteen EAWSD customers/ratepayers attended a formal Public Hearing at the EAWSD Administrative Building's Public Conference Room to hear testimony on a proposed rate adjustment to our community's water rates. Attorney Peter Gould, an independent Hearing Officer certified by the NM Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC), conducted the Public Hearing. The proposed rate adjustment is based on a year-long EAWSD Cost of Service and Rate Design Study, conducted by the District's Rate Study Advisory Committee, in conjunction with rate consultant Nelisa Heddin of Nelisa Heddin Consulting, LLC. The current rate study process started in the spring of 2022, with a reevaluation of the applied concepts and findings that resulted from the 2019 Rate Study resulting in the current 2020-2024 Rate Schedule. Using that information, the Rate Study Advisory Committee and Ms. Heddin began an in-depth analysis of our water utility's current and projected financial status along with goals of ensuring adequate revenues to fund
much-needed future water needs systematically, (i.e. new wells or new water supply sources and the replacement of aging, less reliable infrastructure) and to ensure that we can continue to retire the community's debt from the initial purchase of the water system.




USE THE LINK BELOW to view a copy of the 3/27/24 Public Rate Hearing TRANSCRIPT as submitted by the Court Reporter following the formal Public Hearing:  

 

NEXT STEP FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEARING: The Public Hearing officer has 30 days after receiving the transcript to render his decision, on or before 4/24/24. 

HEARING OFFICER'S DECISION

Regarding the Proposed Cost of Service

& Rate Schedule for 2025-2029 

submitted on 4/18/24 

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USE THE LINK BELOW to view a copy of the posted 4/22/2024 Decision of the Public Hearing Officer as submitted by Attorney Peter Gould on 4/18/2024:
 

 

NEXT STEP: For the next 20 days, following the official date of posting (4/18/2024), of the Public Hearing Officer's Decision, any customer/ratepayer residing in the District was offered the opportunity to file a formal objection or appeal, directly to the EAWSD Board. None were received.

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FINAL RESOLUTION SIGNED BY EAWSD BOARD authorizing an adjustment to Rates, Tolls, Fees, or Charges effective with the February 2025 Billing Cycle for water used in January.

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USE THE LINK BELOW to communicate with EAWSD regarding any part of the Cost of Service & Rate Design study process resulting in acceptance of the 2025-2029 RATE SCHEDULE  info@EAWSD.org

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