New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 17 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND UTILITY SERVICES › Chapter 12 - WATER SERVICES › Part 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR WATER UTILITIES › Section 17.12.1.9 - INTRODUCTION

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
NMPSC Rules 710 through 780 [17.12.1 NMAC, 17.12.720 NMAC
				  through 17.12.780 NMAC] govern annual reporting; Certificates of Public
				  Convenience and Necessity; system design, construction, and operation; customer
				  services; rate filings; and utility accounting for water utilities operating
				  under the Commission's jurisdiction.
A. Annual Report Forms are required to be
				filed for every calendar year by April 30 of each year. Attached to this report
				shall be SEC Form 10K, if applicable, and NMPSC Rule 710 [17.12.1 NMAC] Form 1
				regarding jurisdictional customer numbers. NMPSC Rule 720 [17.12.720 NMAC]
				provides that water utilities shall file Annual Reports in either of two (2)
				formats. Smaller water utilities may file an abbreviated Annual Report
				form.
B. Under NMPSC Rule 720
				[17.12.720 NMAC] regulated water utilities are required to maintain financial
				accounts in either of two (2) formats. Larger water utilities shall keep their
				financial records according to the NARUC Uniform System of Accounts for Class A
				and B Water Utilities. Smaller water utilities may keep their financial records
				either pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform System of Accounts for Class C and D
				Water Utilities or according to the NARUC Uniform System of Accounts for Class
				C and D Water Utilities.
C.
				Provision for rate filings is divided into the levels of operation set out in
				the classification of water utilities herein below. NMPSC Rules 730 and 780
				[17.12.730 NMAC and 17.12.780 NMAC] provide that water utilities shall file for
				rates in one (1) of three (3) formats. The larger utilities must file the most
				comprehensive package. Middle-sized utilities may file a simpler package. The
				smaller utilities may file the most abbreviated package.
D. No water utility subject to the
				Commission's jurisdiction shall commence construction nor operation without
				first obtaining a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NMPSC Rule
				740 [17.12.740 NMAC] provides that every filing for a certificate from the
				Commission shall be made pursuant to NMPSC Rules 110.35 through 110.38 [17.1.2
				NMAC] and must demonstrate proposed system and service compliance when
				operational.
E. The Minimum
				Standards for Design, Construction, and Operation set forth in NMPSC Rule 750
				[17.12.750 NMAC] establish the measurements the Commission will require in
				connection with questions which pertain to expense, capital, Rate Base,
				prudence, adequacy, or convenience and necessity. These system standards may
				reasonably be exceeded in any particular application. The minimum standards
				apply to all new water utilities seeking initial certification after the
				effective date of General Order No. 42, codified by NMPSC Rules 710 through 780
				[17.12.1 NMAC, 17.12.720 through 17.12.780 NMAC], and to new expansion,
				construction, and repair of existing facilities of already certified
				utilities.
F. The Customer Service
				Rules and Regulations, NMPSC Rule 760 [17.12.760 NMAC], establish the
				responsibilities and rights of jurisdictional water utilities and their
				residential customers in their water service relationship. Nothing herein shall
				prevent any utility from adopting Service Rules and Regulations which do not
				conflict with but which are additional to those set forth herein to cover
				special circumstances.