Tuesday, December 07, 2010
PSC Deputy Drills West Virginia American Water's President
WEST VIRGINIA....
West Virginia American Water, the largest water utility in the state, providing services to about 600,000 customers, says it invested millions in 2008 and 2009 for new storage tanks and meters to replace and reinforce water mains and make other improvements. During an evidentiary hearing on American Water's 13 percent rate hike request Monday morning, David Sade, deputy in the state Public Service Commission's Consumer Advocate Division, questioned Wayne Morgan, president of the company, about the utility's expenses and pay policies for more than two hours. Sade brought out the fact that the number of water company employees dropped from 321 in late 2009 to a low of 308 in August but the utility's labor costs went up, while the company granted pay increases ranging from 2.25 percent to upwards of 4 percent from 2003 to 2008. Sade asked Morgan if he would expect that a lot of West Virginians would love being in the same shoes as his co-workers, getting raise after raise over the last eight- or nine-year period. Approval of the utility's request would increase its revenue by $15.6 million a year and raise the average residential monthly bill by $5.39, to $45.04.
West Virginia American Water, the largest water utility in the state, providing services to about 600,000 customers, says it invested millions in 2008 and 2009 for new storage tanks and meters to replace and reinforce water mains and make other improvements. During an evidentiary hearing on American Water's 13 percent rate hike request Monday morning, David Sade, deputy in the state Public Service Commission's Consumer Advocate Division, questioned Wayne Morgan, president of the company, about the utility's expenses and pay policies for more than two hours. Sade brought out the fact that the number of water company employees dropped from 321 in late 2009 to a low of 308 in August but the utility's labor costs went up, while the company granted pay increases ranging from 2.25 percent to upwards of 4 percent from 2003 to 2008. Sade asked Morgan if he would expect that a lot of West Virginians would love being in the same shoes as his co-workers, getting raise after raise over the last eight- or nine-year period. Approval of the utility's request would increase its revenue by $15.6 million a year and raise the average residential monthly bill by $5.39, to $45.04.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 7:47 PM 
