Florida Administrative Code › 25 - PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION › 25 - Departmental › Chapter 25-30 - WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITY RULES › Section 25-30.4445 - Notice of Application for Utility Reserve Fund

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) This rule applies to all petitions to
				create a utility reserve fund filed by a water or wastewater utility that are
				filed as a stand-alone application. Petitions that are filed in conjunction
				with another rate proceeding filed pursuant to Section
				 367.081(2)(a),
				 367.0814, or
				 367.0822, F.S., shall comply
				with the noticing requirements set forth in Rule
				 25-22.0407 or
				 25-30.446, F.A.C., as
				applicable.
(2) Upon filing a
				petition to create a utility reserve fund, the utility shall mail a copy of the
				petition to the chief executive officer of the governing body of each
				municipality and county within the service areas included in the rate request.
				Each copy of the petition shall be accompanied by a statement that a copy of
				the utility reserve fund minimum filing requirements (MFRs) set forth in Rule
				 25-30.444, F.A.C., when accepted
				by the Commission, can be obtained from the petitioner upon request.
(3) Within 30 days after the official date of
				the filing established by the Commission, the utility shall place a copy of the
				petition and MFRs at its official headquarters and at all business offices it
				has in the service areas included in the request. Such copies shall be
				available for public inspection during the utility's regular business hours. If
				the utility does not have a business office in a service area included in its
				petition, the utility shall make other arrangements to provide public access to
				the petition and MFRs. Acceptable public access options are: placing a copy of
				the petition and MFRs at the main county library, the local community center,
				or other appropriate location which is within or most convenient to the service
				area and which is willing to accept and provide public access to the copies;
				providing customers with information about how to access the petition and MFRs
				in the utility's docket file on the Commission's website; or providing a
				printed or electronic copy of the petition and MFRs to any customer who
				requests access to a copy.
(4)
(a) Within 50 days after the official date of
				filing established by the Commission, the utility shall provide, in writing, an
				initial customer notice to all customers within the service areas included in
				the utility reserve fund request and to all persons in the same service areas
				who have filed a written request for service or who have been provided a
				written estimate for service within the 12 calendar months prior to the month
				the request is filed. If a utility that qualifies for staff assistance under
				subsection  25-30.455(1),
				F.A.C., requests assistance with the utility reserve fund process and a
				customer meeting is scheduled, the initial customer notice may be combined with
				the customer meeting notice and provided in accordance with subsection (5),
				instead of 50 days after the official filing date established by the
				Commission.
(b) The initial
				customer notice must be approved by Commission staff prior to distribution and
				shall include the following:
1. The date the
				notice is to be issued,
2. A
				statement that the utility has filed a utility reserve fund request with the
				Commission and a statement of the general reasons for the request,
3. A statement of the location(s) where a
				copy of the petition and MFRs are available for public inspection and the hours
				and days when inspection may be made, or instructions on how to obtain a copy
				if the utility has made alternate public access arrangements as referenced in
				subsection (3), above,
4. A
				comparison of current utility reserve fund surcharge, if applicable, and the
				proposed new utility reserve fund surcharge,
5. The utility's address, telephone number,
				and business hours,
6. A statement
				that written comments regarding utility service or the proposed utility reserve
				fund rates and charges should be addressed to the Office of Commission Clerk,
				2540 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0850, and that such
				comments should identify the docket number assigned to the proceeding,
7. A statement that complaints
				regarding service may be made to the Commission's Office of Consumer Assistance
				and Outreach at the following toll-free number: 1(800)342-3552; and,
8. The docket number assigned by the
				Commission's Office of Commission Clerk.
(c) The initial customer notice shall be
				mailed to the out-of-town address of all customers who have provided the
				utility with an out-of-town address.