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The Pipeline
January / March 2016
In This Issue:
Top 5 Things to Know
About Water & Sewer Annual Reports....………1
Tapper Says…………......3
How to Avoid Injury from
Cold Stress……........…...4
Make the Most of the PSC Website………..…..…….5
Customer Leak Adjustments……………..7
Contact Information…....9
News and Views from the Public Service Commission of WV, WV Board of Risk and Insurance Management, WV
Dept. of Environmental Protection, and WV Dept. of Health and Human Services
Top 5 Things to Know About
Water & Sewer Annual Reports By Bonnie Boston, Utilities Analyst, Water & Wastewater
Division, Public Service Commission
1. Annual Water and Sewer Reports are
Required: I can honestly say I’ve never talked to any utility personnel who look forward to filing an annual report with the Public Service Commission. However, it’s just another one of those things that has to be done. Water and Sewer Rules 2.4. require all water and sewer utilities to file financial and statistical
annual reports with the Commission on or before three months following the end of the utility’s fiscal year. A utility may request a filing extension upon written request to the Commission, with justification for the request. The Commission may then approve or disapprove a reasonable extension for time to file the report. Such application is to be made before the expiration of the time for filing the report. These reports shall be based upon accounts set up in conformity with Water and Sewer Rules 2.5., which require utilities to maintain their accounts and records in compliance with the Uniform System of Accounts as promulgated in 1996 by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners for Class A, B and C Water and Sewer Utilities.
The classification of water and sewer utilities for purposes of keeping accounts in accordance with the Uniform System of Accounts shall be as follows: Classification Revenue Level A $1,000,000 or more B $200,000 - $999,999 C less than $200,000 Questions about your utility’s classification may be directed to Kathryn Stalnaker at 304-340-0361 or [email protected]. Failure to file a timely annual report may result in the need to appear in a Show Cause hearing, in which a utility may be subject to fines upon order of the Commission.
2. Electronic Filing is Required*: An electronic copy of the report shall be filed utilizing the form template and filing instructions that can be found on the Commission’s website at www.psc.state.wv.us/Efile/Annual_Reports/default.htm. Start the filing process by registering with our Annual Report E-File System. Once you have completed the registration process, you then request access to download Excel templates and
The Pipeline
Published quarterly by the
Public Service Commission
201 Brooks Street
P.O. Box 812
Charleston, WV 25323
Web: www.psc.state.wv.us
Email:
Phone: 304-340-0440
Toll Free: 800-344-5113
Fax: 304-340-3759
Contributors
Bonnie Boston, PSC
Dave Dove, PSC
Rhonda Boothe, PSC
Morgan Stutler, BRIM
Please note:
The information contained in this publication is based on the current laws, rules, regu-lations and policies of the PSC, BRIM, DEP and EPA, and reflects the personal or professional opinions of the individual contributors. Nothing contained in this publication should be con-strued as an adjudication on any specific factual situation or as a formal opinion of the PSC, BRIM, DEP or EPA unless it is clearly cited as such.
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upload Annual Reports, in Excel format, for specific utilities. Requests will be reviewed and you will be notified via email when you can proceed.
Kathryn Stalnaker can be reached at 304-340-0361 or [email protected] to assist you with any questions regarding
electronic filing. * Note: If hardship results from the requirement to file electronically, Water and Sewer Rules 1.6.b. provide that application may be made to the Commission for the modification of a rule or for temporary or permanent exemption from its provisions. No application for modification or exemption will be considered by the Commission unless it is accompanied by a full and complete justification for such action.
3. Contents and Schedules: Good news! If you have a copy of last year’s report in front of you, you’re already about halfway done because anywhere in the report that it refers to “Previous Year” or “Beginning Balance” your input comes directly from data in the previous year’s report. That part is simple enough, right? Each template contains instructions and a list of schedules that are applicable to your report. Many utilities choose to have their annual reports prepared by a certified public accountant, but that is not a requirement. Your utility should have financial statements available (ledgers, income statements,
etc.) to be used when preparing your annual report. If you have any questions regarding how to enter data into the Excel file, please contact any of the Utilities Analysts in our division, as listed at the end of this article. It is extremely important that the current year data on your report represents 12 full months of operations. For example, each report needs to reflect 12 months of billed revenues and 12 months of expenses. The exception to this would be a new utility that has only been in operation for a portion of the year. If a particular
schedule doesn’t apply to your utility, please note “not applicable” or enter “0” on the schedule where appropriate. That way, we know you have nothing to report in that case and that you didn’t just skip that schedule. All schedules in the report should be completed. If you need to make staff aware of something and there is no room on a particular schedule for notations, you may enter notes on Schedules 801A-801B near the back of the report. For example, you might decide it would be appropriate to make a notation on Schedule 801A that “Information on Schedule 503 contains estimated data.” The Excel templates include many built-in formulas that will calculate sums, averages, etc. or carry forward data automatically to other schedules in the report. Did you know you can hold down the control key (CTRL) and simultaneously hit the ~ key (located to the left of the number 1 key on a standard keyboard) to see the formula in a protected cell? Then you can repeat
the “CTRL ~” process to return to the normal view. This is very useful when entering data in the Excel file since you can’t input directly into a protected cell. This shortcut allows you to view the formula and determine what schedule and cell you need to go to for that input.
The total of your utility’s annual operating revenues and the number of your water and sewer customers becomes relevant in the determination of Commission jurisdiction in some issues relating to water and sewer utilities that are political subdivisions of the state. Annual reports provide important statistical information such as the Unaccounted-for-Water percentage, Inflow and Infiltration percentage and Performance Measurements. They also provide information regarding inter-utility transactions, such as the purchase or resale of water or sewer services.
The Pipeline January / March 2016
ANNUAL REPORT
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4. Annual Reports are Reviewed by Staff: Annual Reports for all water and sewer utilities operating in West Virginia will be reviewed by Commission staff. Please note these are general reviews, not audits. Some, but not all, of the things we look for are:
Was the correct template used?
Do “Beginning Balances” and “Previous Year” data match previous report? Does Income Statement look reasonable? Do Balance Sheet items balance? Review of Cash Flow schedules. Review of Operating Revenues schedules. Review of Operation and Maintenance Expense schedules. For water utilities, is Unaccounted-for-Water percentage within Commission guidelines? Is ending cash balance a positive number?
Do interrelated schedules reconcile? For example:
Do revenues, gallons, and average number of customers reported on Schedule 600 reconcile to those reported on Schedule 601? Does the net cash provided or used by operating activities reconcile on Schedule 103 compared to Schedule 103A?
Other elements considered:
Were capital grants, if any, properly reported as Contribution in Aid of Construction? Are the 700 Schedule series properly completed? Are all schedules with general or statistical information completed? Was the budget completed? Was notarized verification page submitted to Commission?
5. Annual Reports are Public Documents: After an annual report is submitted to the Commission it is placed on the Commission’s website at www.psc.state.wv.us/Annual_Reports/default.htm.
Your utility’s accountants, Commission staff, Infrastructure & Jobs Development Council members and others use the financial data from your report when compiling Rule 42 Exhibits or other financial statements needed when a utility evaluates rates or has a pending construction project. Many of your customers also access these reports to look at your utility’s current level of debt, expenses and income when your utility is contemplating a rate increase or other action.
Always remember that your annual reports are public documents and, as such, are available to your customers, media, neighboring utilities, governmental agencies or anyone who wants to view not only your current report but your historical reports as well. Feel free to call any of our Utilities Analysts in the Water and Wastewater Division anytime you have questions concerning your annual report. Bonnie Boston 304-340-0479 [email protected] Versie Hill 304-340-0870 [email protected] Laura Leport 304-340-0473 [email protected] Jim Boggess 304-340-0769 [email protected]
The Pipeline January / March 2016
West Virginia Code §16-13A-3 requires
that a public service district shall provide to
the Public Service Commission, within 30
days of the appointment of a new board mem-
ber, the following information:
New board member’s name Home address Home and office phone numbers Date of appointment Length of term Who the new board member replaces Whether the new appointee has
previously served on the board
Tapper Says:
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The Pipeline January / March 2016
How to Avoid Injury from Cold Stress By Morgan Stutler, Loss Control Specialist, West Virginia Board of Risk and Insurance
Management
When the weather outside becomes frightful, not everyone is singing “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.” Those working in environments with exposures to colder temperatures, and for extended periods of time, should be aware of the risks of cold stress and how it can affect their health and safety. Cold stress occurs when a person’s skin temperature, and eventually the internal body temperature (98.6°F), begin to decrease. Though the defini-tion of cold will vary throughout the United States, the basic concept is that a cold environment makes your body work harder to maintain its core tem-perature. The temperature of the environment and several risk factors can greatly affect one’s core temperature because the body is using up large amounts of energy to maintain the core temperature. Some of these risk fac-tors include, but are not limited to:
Poor physical conditioning Predisposing health conditions (diabetes, hypothyroidism,
hypertension) Wetness/dampness Dressing improperly Exhaustion
Our bodies have adapted to keep the internal temperature regulated by moving blood from the extremities to the core. When this scenario occurs, a person is more likely to develop one of these common injuries:
Hypothermia Frostbite Trench foot
Hypothermia occurs when there is a drop in body temperature below 95°F that is usually caused by prolonged exposure to colder temperatures. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, the following:
Shivering and stomping one’s feet in order to generate heat
Body temperature continues to fall and shivering will stop
Loss of coordination, fumbling with items Confusion and disorientation
If a person is believed to be suffering from hypothermia, call 911 and seek medical assistance immediately. The person should be moved to a warm, dry area and ensure that clothes are dry and that the body is covered with layers of blankets. Frostbite is a medical condition where there is damage caused to the skin or other tissues due to freezing. Frostbite is likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart, e.g.: hands and feet. The initial stages of frost-
bite are called frostnip. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: Reddened skin with gray/white patches Numbness in the affected area Skin feels firm or hard Blisters can begin to occur
If a person is believed to be suffering from frostbite, follow the recom-mendations defined for hypothermia. Do not rub the affected area because it can cause more damage. Do not break blisters. Trench foot (immersion foot) is a condition that is caused by prolonged exposure to wet and cold temperatures. A wet foot loses heat 25 times faster than a dry foot so, to prevent heat loss, the body shuts down circulation to the feet. Symptoms of trench foot include, but are not limited to:
Redness of the skin Swelling Numbness Blisters
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The Pipeline January / March 2016
If a person is believed to be suffering from trench foot, call 911 immedi-ately, remove the shoes and wet socks and begin to dry the feet.
The following are safety tips for workers in cold environments:
Ensure that you are trained on cold stress Monitor your physical condition and your co-workers Dress for the cold environment Stay dry Keep extra clothing Drink warm, sweetened fluids Use the recommended engineering controls, safe work practices and
personal protective equipment provided by the employer Though there are no specific standards that cover cold environment working conditions, employers have the responsibility to provide their workers with a work environment that is free from recognized hazards. Therefore, employees should be trained on the hazards of the job, safety measures to use and safe work practices, which can protect the workers’ safety and health. References: Occupational Safety and Health Administration National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Make the Most of the PSC Website By Rhonda Boothe, Consumer Affairs Technician, Water and Wastewater Division, Public Service
Commission
The Public Service Commission’s website provides a wealth of informa-tion pertaining to the agency itself and, obviously, numerous utility regula-tions, operations and functions. The Commission receives numerous re-quests, questions and inquiries that could be answered by accessing its web-site at www.psc.state.wv.us. The website is user friendly, and with just a few clicks, you can view various information and documents, including the current Water and Sewer Rules, all current utility tariffs on file and the Commission’s employee staff directory for each division, including Water and Wastewater. There is also information indicating the Water and Sewer
Rankings based upon various levels of consumption, information on formal cases and information for selected annual reports filed by utilities. Shown below is the homepage of the Commission’s website. Following that are useful guides to help you navigate and maneuver through various sections of the website.
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The Pipeline January / March 2016
Water & Sewer Rules In the white box near the bottom of the homepage, under the header “Links to Other Sites” select “PSC Rules/Regulations.” Then click the link to “Secretary of State - Public Service Commission Rules.” You will be
directed to a website for West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant. Under “Administrative Law” select “Title/Series” and use the drop-down menu to find either Water Rules (150-07) or Sewer Rules (150-05). Then select “Search.” You will then be directed to “Code of State Rules Search.” If you choose to view the Water Rules, click on “Rules for the Government of Water Utilities” on the right side, with the effective date of “5/8/2011,” and a status of “Active” in green. This will bring you to the last step. Under “Documents,” choose how you would like to view the file. The options are PDF, Word and Word Perfect. Follow a similar process to view the Sewer Rules. Should you desire to view all of the rules of the Public Service Com-mission, after being redirected to the Secretary of State website, under “Administrative Law,” select “Agency” and use the dropdown menu to select “Public Service Commission.” Then click “Search.”
You will then be directed to “Code of State Rules Search” that will show you a list of all Public Service Commission rules. Choose the ones you wish to review by selecting any rule with a status of “Active” in green. This will bring you to the last step. Under “Documents,” choose how you would like to view the file. The options are PDF, Word and Word Perfect.
Viewing Current Tariffs On the left side of the PSC homepage in the yellow box, go to the bot-tom of the page until you see the heading “Rate Information.” Under this heading choose “Scanned Tariffs.” You will then be on a page titled “Utility Search.” On the left side of the page, choose “Scanned Tariffs.” This will bring you to a page titled “Scanned Tariff Search.” Simply enter the name of any utility in the “Utility Name” field and hit “Search.” All current tariffs should be listed. The last step is to choose the one you want to review and select “View Tariff” on the right side of the page.
Water and Wastewater Division Directory On the left side of the homepage, in the yellow box, find the heading
“Commission Staff Divisions” and select “Water/Wastewater.” You will be directed to our staff directory that includes each staff member’s name, title, phone number, fax number and a link to send them an email by se-lecting their name.
Water and Sewer Rankings Are you curious where your utility ranks when comparing its rates to other providers? Find out now by simply going to the homepage and, in the yellow box on the left side of the page, find the heading “Reports and Publications.” You can choose the ranking comparison based upon consumption of 3,400, 4,000 or 4,500 gallons. There you will find the utility rates ranked from lowest to highest. Note: Under the “Reports and Publications” heading you can also view current and previous
issues of The Pipeline.
These are just some of the helpful topics and information found on the Commission’s website. Please remember the website is there to inform and assist the public, and any interested persons with utility mat-ters that fall under this Commission’s jurisdiction. Should you have any questions, please contact the Water and Wastewater Division for addi-tional information.
Water and Sewer Utility Rankings
How do you stack up?
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The Pipeline January / March 2016
Customer Leak Adjustments By Dave Dove, Manager, Case Control Section, Engineering Division, Public Service Commission
Commission staff routinely reviews formal complaint cases regarding
leak adjustments in which, many times, it is unclear to utilities whether a leak adjustment should be given. Staff sympathizes with many utility per-sonnel who have to make difficult decisions about when leak adjustments should be given, and offers the following commentary for clarification re-garding leak adjustments. Water Rule 4.4.c. and Sewer Rule 4.4.c. require the utility to have a written policy concerning the adjustment of a customer’s water and sewer bill where the bill reflects unusual usage that can be attributed to leakage on the customer’s side of the meter. Situations where the leak adjustment nor-mally is not made are leaking commodes, dripping facets, malfunctioning appliances and similar situations. It has been pointed out in past articles that there is a misconception that an adjustment is only to be made for leaks in the customer’s underground service line from the utility’s meter to the structure being served. The Com-mission, in Case No. 01-
1430-WS-C, wrote that the applicable Wa-ter Rule and Sewer Rule is to deny leak adjustments in cases where the accrual of a large bill is due to a customer’s own failure to notice an obvi-ous leak (like a leaky toilet). The article pointed out that there may be situa-tions where a leak occurs inside the structure, but is still not obvious to the customer. In these situations an adjustment to the customer’s water and sewer bills is to be given per Water Rule 4.4.c. and Sewer Rule 4.4.c.
A leak adjustment may be warranted when a leak occurs anywhere on the customer’s side of the meter. In most situations the meter is installed at the “point of service.” Per the Commission’s Rules and Regulations for the Government of Water Utilities the point of service is defined as follows:
Rule 1.7.K. defines the term: “Point of Service – Means the utility’s pipe and appurtenances which connect any utility service pipe with the inlet connec-tion of a customer’s service pipe at the customer’s property line, or elsewhere on the customer’s property if provided for in a user’s agreement. The utility shall own and maintain all facilities located between the point of service and the main.”
The following rule is also important. Rule 3.2.a., under Rule 3.2. Loca-tion of Meters states: “Accessibility – In the interest of safety and conven-ience to the customer, and as a measure of economical operation to the util-
ity, it is required that all meters should be located
at or near the property line: Provided that when such location is impractical meters shall be placed outside of the customer’s building as near as possi-ble to where the “Point of Service” joins the “Customer’s Service Pipe.” However, staff has encountered a few rare situations where the meter has been set across a road from the customer’s property and a leak de-velops between the meter and the point of service (customer’s property line). The water leak was read through the meter and recorded as customer
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The Pipeline January / March 2016
usage. The customer only discovered something was wrong when they received a high water bill and, as in many cases, two or three months pass before the customer realizes it not just an estimating error but an actual leak. Even if the customer had known about the leak they would have had no legal right to enter upon property that they did not own to
repair the leaking line. In this situation, staff believes that the utility would be responsible for any leaks from the meter to the customer’s property line (point of ser-vice), even though the leak is technically on the customer’s side of the meter. The dis-tinction in this case is in the point of service and the meter location not being the same. In staff’s opin-ion, the cus-tomer would only be respon-sible for their historical bill from the date the leak is de-tected until the leak is repaired by the utility. Another misapplication of the rules is that a customer is allowed only one adjustment per year. The Commission, in General Order No. 188.12, chose not to adopt a policy that would limit the number of ad-justments in a given time period. The customer is, however, obligated to repair leaks within in a reasonable time or the utility may elect not to give the customer continuous adjustments. If a customer has a substan-dard line that has had numerous leaks and the customer is unable or un-willing to replace the line, the utility can elect to turn the water service off until the line is repaired. In the case of a large leak, termination of service may be the best op-tion, rather than expecting the customer to pay enormous bills for lost water. If there is a disagreement as to whether an adjustment to a cus-tomer’s water and sewer bill is warranted, the utility is required to tell the
customer that they have the right to file a complaint with the Public Ser-vice Commission. One last misconception is that utilities lose money by giving leak ad-justments, which makes many utilities hesitant to give them. Every util-ity is required to have a Leak Adjustment Rate that covers the incre-mental costs (power, chemical, sludge disposal, etc.) that the utility in-curs to make the water or treat the sewage. So there is no money lost on the part of the utility for giving a leak adjustment. By not giving leak ad-justments, the utility may actually be over recovering revenue. If you have any questions or comments regarding water or sewer leak adjustments or would like a copy of General Order No. 188.12 regarding leak adjustments, please contact the staff of the Commission.
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The Pipeline January / March 2016
Public Service Commission of West Virginia
Water and Wastewater Division
Dave Acord, Director [email protected] 340-0366
Lisa Coleman, Administrative Secretary [email protected] 340-0459
Nancy Tincher, Secretary [email protected] 340-0440
Grants & Funding, Finance, Administrative, Office Operations
Bill Nelson, Manager [email protected] 340-0445
Jim Boggess, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0769
Bonnie Boston, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0479
Versie Hill, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0870
Laura Leport, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0473
Informal Complaints
Tammy Tabor, Supervisor [email protected] 340-0826
Markita Black, Consumer Affairs Tech [email protected] 340-0321
Rhonda Boothe, Consumer Affairs Tech [email protected] 340-0467
Sharon Godwin, Consumer Affairs Tech [email protected] 340-0494
Vicki Lemley, Consumer Affairs Tech [email protected] 340-0379
Fax 304-340-3759
Engineering Division
Earl Melton, Director [email protected] 340-0392
Victoria Trent, Secretary [email protected] 340-0370
Case Control
Dave Dove, Manager [email protected] 340-0436
Lisa Bailey, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0499
Jonathan Fowler, Engineer [email protected] 340-0491
David Holley, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0328
Kristopher Huff, Technical Trainee [email protected] 340-0443
Mansour Mashayekhi, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0428
Jim Spurlock, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0357
Sylvie Steranka, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0466
Jim Weimer, Engineer [email protected] 340-0476
Case Assistance
Jeff Bennett, Utility Inspector [email protected] 340-0313
Ralph Clark, Engineer [email protected] 340-0455
Eric DeGruyter, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0388
Karen McClure, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0335
Craig Miller, Utility Inspector [email protected] 340-0353
John Mottesheard, Engineering Tech. [email protected] 340-0399
Wayne Perdue, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0493
Don Walker, Technical Analyst [email protected] 340-0434
Fax: 304-340-0452
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The Pipeline January / March 2016
Utilities Division
Terry Eads, Director [email protected] 340-0421
Lynn Scott, Administrative Secretary [email protected] 340-0350
Mike Dailey, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0495
Carrier & Consumer Operations
Randy Short, Deputy Director [email protected] 340-0446
Carla Nelson, Supervisor [email protected] 340-0424
Mandy VanMeter, Secretary [email protected] 340-0833
Motor Carrier & Formal Complaints
Steve Kaz, Supervisor [email protected] 340-0760
Stacy Beller, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0444
Dwayne Bevins, Utility Inspector [email protected] 340-0449
Bob Cadle, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0419
Bill Flenner, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0496
Jennifer Moore, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0837
Audits, Finance & Rates
Diane Davis, Deputy Director [email protected] 340-0369
Case Processing 1
Ed Oxley, Manager [email protected] 340-0360
Ronald Ash, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0869
Karen Buckley, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0470
Erin Deegan, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0768
Troy Eggleton, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0397
Alex Kovarik, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0358
Nathan Mills, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0773
Case Processing 2
Dave Pauley, Manager [email protected] 340-0439
Josh Allen, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0771
Juan Arboleda, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0352
Jonathan Beeman, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0868
Pam Latocha , Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0422
Pete Lopez, Utilities Analyst [email protected] 340-0823
Fax: 340-340-0326
![[Pipeline] Inspecting Pipeline Installation](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/55cf8d045503462b1391543e/pipeline-inspecting-pipeline-installation.jpg)
