EPCOR’s rate hikes unacceptable

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OPINION — Water and wastewater rate adjustments to Sun City West are proposed by EPCOR Arizona Utilities and approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission. The last wastewater system adjustment, an increase of about 20% for Sun City West, was approved under a consolidation of systems procedure.

This was an excessive rate increase for Sun City West that gives us some of the highest wastewater rates in the state for medium-size utility service.

At the last hearing, commissioners Kevin Thompson and Nick Myers voted to approve the new wastewater rates. They are up for reinstatement this year. I, and hopefully others, will not be voting for them.

Under the system-consolidation procedure, some utility rates were lowered significantly. This indicates to me that we are paying for improvements to other water and/or wastewater systems that are not associated with Sun City West.

I do not like paying for other system improvements of no benefit to Sun City West.

Now, EPCOR has proposed a drinking-water system rate adjustment for Sun City West and others that may include additional consolidation.

The senior citizens in the Sun Cities need to be treated fairly.

Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.