Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-06-26
WATER RATES
,-pfIc UTILITIES COMMISSION
ORDERS NEW SCHEDULE
r METER RATES FOR ALL USERS
GRADUATED BY AMOUNT OF WATER
USED.

The public utilities commission yester-
-, tened an order that the Bar haroor
,r,ion River Power Co. cease TO
solleet rates for water furnished the
,nhsbitants OF Ellsworth under
a.odpls OF rates now In effect after June
a. to1s aud that it fife in lieu thereof on
before June 30, 1918, new schedule
:, rstea which shall not exceed any OF
,hs pre ent fiat-rate charges.
IN rendering its decision, the public
Utilities commissioners say:
sin our decision dated May /, 1918,
90 ordered the respondent to file new
.obedule OF rates for water sold in the
.uv Of Ellsworth which stall not ex-
o.sd suy OF the present fist-rste charges;
,h,ch shall contain charge for adj
atlonsI faucets for domestic users not
1, excess OF three dollars per faucet, and
xhich should establish meter rates open
N all customers except for fire protection
purposes
wTbe respondent filed its schedule
under this order, and 8 public hearing
xss held thereon at Ellsworth, June 8,
1915
.This schedule does not conform to the
,bove order in respect to fiat rates. 1t
,.duces the charge for extra faucets for
domestic users to three dollars a.
directed. II increases the charge for first
faucet from seven dollars to eight dollars,
and for each additional faucet from two
dollars and iifty cents to three dollars,
under the title Stores and Offices, as
li,,ed in its schedule now in effect, and
attempts to justify this increase as in the
interest OF simplicity, pointing out that
the new schedule eliminates certain
.psciac divisions OF business places con-
stsiued In the present rate and, by group
ing them all under the titia Stores and
Offices, makes q reduction in the rates
now charged them. The eliminated
classes include drug stores, bakeries,
restaurants, fish markets, lsundries,
photographers and barber shops.
III respondent ~wishcs to reduce the
rates for these classes of customers, IL
nay do so. IL will not be permitted to
orsei tho reduction by increasing the
rstes for ordinary stores aud offices,
which will average to use materially less
sstrr It complies literally with the
original order in respect to fat rates.
METER RATES.
'Tbe proposed meter rates are divided
into four classes, Domestic, Commercial,
Manufacturing and Hotels. They differ
very widely. A minimum charge Of q per
month Is contemplated for all classes snds
discount OF Ave per cent. is offered for
payment on or before the tenth OF each
month.
'SThe function OF a minimum charge is
to guarantee that the customer shall pay
at least the cost of service, including read
iness TO serve. With such a provision in
effect there is no good reason for such
division into classes and distinction be-
tween the charges to different classes.
ait costs no more to deliver 30 cubic feet
Of water to be used, after 1t passes through
the customers meter, for one purpose
than for another, and it Is discrimination
to charge one msu $50 for it, another
$40, another "a cents and another %
cents
THE single rate for manufacturers and
hotels, who will use larger quantities,
saves figuring the different steps, but the
saving is negligible.
while not universally practiced, 1t is
customary TO charge higher rate Tor the
first reasonable block. This Is unobiec-
uonable because very considerable part
OF the expense is the same whether the
quantity consumed Is large or small.
And II the rule is applied to all customers
II works no injustice.
THE primary rate should be such that the
cost for the average small user-the cost
oil The amount OF the water reasonably
necessary for the average customer getting
along with the minimum household SER
Fce-~iH approximately equal the mini
mum charge. This minimum charge, 81
per month, was not criticized at the hear
ing; IS consistent with the fiat charge of
Wv per year, when the additional cost OF
melefed service as considered; and IL will
not be disturbed, except that IL will be
discontinued after the customer has paid
w within any IL months period.
ne question first to determine is hat
ahoant OF water ought to be furnished
tne householder for 81.
The proposed schedule was made IN
rom study Of experiences with metered
isIss IN the town OF Orono, where it was
Aiu tnat IL families, averaging three per-
sons to the family, used 1924 cubic feet OF
s 'er per family per year. The respond
snt said that these families used the same
Ia futures which would pay s1s per year ON
as ellsworth fiat rates, and IL, therefore,
oasnt to receive 80 cents per one hundred
se9le ieet in order for the meter rates TO
pya like sum.
The rates for minimum consumption
saoaid not be based on the average GUAM
Wy consumed by all users, because that
tn .
me minimum plumber OF fixtures. n IL
onceded that houses with extra faucets,
ath rooms, water closets, etc., will use
tuofe than a house with only a kitchen
aueet. And the higher unit rate, based
VII the minimum use, is to be consistent