OLYMPIC WATER AND SEWER INC. WATER RATE INCREASE REQUEST
On 12/30/24, OWSI filed with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) for a general rate case. This will allow the Company to recover increased costs and to recover from rate increase not asked for in the 2022 rate case settled in 2024. WUTC has been auditing our data for the last three months and has found an error in the spread sheet that requires us to send a revised letter due to the increase being different than originally stated in the February customer notice.
As a result of the Company’s rate review, the revenue requirement could be approximately $316.500. We had requested a revenue requirement of $251,000 in annual revenue. If approved, the rates will be effective on June 23, 2025, which is the beginning of the July/August billing cycle. Our last rate increase was effective on December 8, 2023.
Rate Increase Justification
Olympic Water and Sewer Inc. (OWSI) is requesting a rate adjustment to address increasing operational costs and ensure the continued delivery of high-quality of service our customers. Key factors necessitating the increase include:
- Aging Infrastructure: Increasing repair and maintenance costs, particularly due to failures in galvanized water service lines and fittings.
- Declining Well Performance: Reduced output from production wells has necessitated significant investments in engineering, exploration, and sustainable water supply efforts.
- Rising Costs: Inflation has substantially increased the costs of fuel, electricity, chlorine, and other essential treatment chemicals.
- Labor Market Pressures: To attract and retain skilled operators in a competitive labor market, OWSI has adjusted wages to maintain effective staffing.
These efforts are critical to maintaining OWSI’s commitment to providing reliable and safe drinking water to our customers.
