Hawaii American Water has filed an application to set new rates for its Hawaii Kai wastewater customers. The last time Hawaii American Water filed a rate case application for its Hawaii Kai operations was in 2011. The new rates would fund needed infrastructure improvements and take effect in the summer of 2022, pending approval by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (HPUC).
This application is seeking to raise approximately $2.1 million in additional revenue to be invested in local infrastructure maintenance, repair, and replacement. This increase is based on 2011 authorised revenues calculated at current rates. The average increase for all customers, if approved as filed, is just pennies per day and amounts to an approximately 21 percent increase in revenue for the company. For the average single family customer monthly rates would increase from $67.08 to $81.27, for multi-family customers the cost for monthly service would increase from $57.08 to $69.16.
Since 2011, Hawaii American Water has made more than $32 million in investments to improve wastewater treatment and service. Major projects have included the installation of ultraviolet disinfection treatment, new solar energy and upgrades to reduce energy costs, replacing and improving pumps in lift stations and at our treatment plant and other process improvements. Approximately 83 percent of the request for increased rates is to fund these capital improvements and the remainder is to cover higher operating costs, including wage and salary increases that have occurred over the last decade.
Hawaii American Water President, Rich Svindland said: “Our proposal is driven by prudent investments made to maintain and improve our infrastructure to protect the environment and provide excellent wastewater service. We want to continue to provide customers excellent value for their service and maintain our systems to provide high-quality wastewater service.”
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