Washington Administrative Code › Title 480 - Utilities and Transportation Commission › Chapter 480-110 - Water companies › Part I - GENERAL RULES › Section 480-110-245 - Glossary

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
"Applicant"
means any person, partnership, firm,
				  corporation, municipality, cooperative organization, governmental agency, etc.,
				  that has completed a water company's application for water service.
"Commission"
means the Washington utilities and
				  transportation commission.
"Contributions in aid of construction"
means any
				  money, services or property received by a water company to fund capital
				  investments at no cost to the company with no obligation to repay.
"Customer"
means:
Anyone who has paid water company fees and/or has an accepted
				  application for service; or
Anyone whose service connection is installed and is currently
				  paying a ready-to-serve charge; or
Anyone who is actually receiving water service from the
				  company with the knowledge of the company.
"Extension"
means the water mains and equipment
				  necessary to extend the company's transmission and distribution infrastructure.
				  An extension may also be called a distribution extension, a main extension, or
				  a line extension.
"Facilities charge"
means a one-time fee that a
				  new customer must pay, consistent with WAC
				  480-110-455 (Water company
				  funding mechanisms), before the company will connect the customer's property to
				  the water system.
"Initial tariff"
means:
The tariff filed by a water company when it first becomes
				  subject to the jurisdiction of the commission; or
The tariff filed by a water company that was formerly subject
				  to commission jurisdiction, and has once again become jurisdictional. It does
				  not mean a tariff filed to add a newly acquired system or company to the tariff
				  of a currently jurisdictional company.
"Jurisdictional customer"
means anyone who is
				  actually receiving water service.
"Potential customer"
means anyone to whom the
				  water company has given a letter agreeing to provide service; and
The letter is currently enforceable and has not expired by
				  its own terms; and
The property is not yet receiving any type of service.
"Primary contaminants"
means substances that,
				  when present in drinking water at levels exceeding designated maximum
				  contaminant levels (MCL), may adversely affect the health of consumers. These
				  MCLs are established as water quality "primary standards" and are based on
				  chronic, nonacute, or acute human health effects.
"Rate increase filing"
means any filing by the
				  company that would:
Increase gross annual revenues of the company from activities
				  regulated by the commission; or
Restructure tariffs so that one class of customer would
				  provide more gross revenue than under the prior tariff structure. The term does
				  not mean filings designed only to recover governmentally imposed taxes or
				  periodic rate adjustments that have been authorized by commission order.
"Ready-to-serve charge"
means the charge
				  assessed by the water company when:
The water company has the ability to provide water
				  service;
The water company has committed to provide water service;
				  and
There is an installed service connection at the customer's
				  property.
"Reconnect charge"
means the charge specified in
				  the company's tariff for restoring water service that has been
				  disconnected:
At the customer's request; or
For nonpayment; or
For failure to comply with the company's rules.
"Service area"
means the geographic area to
				  which the company intends to provide water service using current plant.
"Service connection"
means the pipes, valves,
				  and fittings between the water company's distribution system and the customer's
				  service line.
"Standby charge"
means a charge imposed by some
				  unregulated companies for having transmission and distribution infrastructure
				  installed but without the current ability to provide water. It is also
				  sometimes referred to as a system-readiness fee. The commission does not
				  authorize this type of charge for regulated water companies.
"Surcharge"
means a monthly charge or fee paid
				  to the water company for plant or expenses. The surcharge is in addition to
				  regular monthly service fees and typically has an expiration date or dollar
				  limit and is subject to specific accounting requirements.
"Water company"
or
"company"
means
				  any corporation, company, association, joint stock association, partnership or
				  person, their lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court whatever,
				  owning, controlling, operating or managing any water plant within the state of
				  Washington for the purpose of furnishing water service to the public for hire
				  and subject to the jurisdiction of the commission. It does not include
				  management by a satellite management agency as defined in
				  chapter
				  70.116 RCW if the
				  satellite agency is not an owner of the water company.
"Water system"
means all plant, equipment, and
				  other assets used to provide water service for a specific
				  location.
Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					 80.01.040,
					 80.04.160,
					 81.04.160 and
					 34.05.353. 05-06-051 (Docket No.
					 A-021178 and TO-030288, General Order No. R-518), § 480-110-245, filed
					 2/28/05, effective 3/31/05. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					 80.01.040. 99-24-100 (Order R-467, Docket No.
					 UW-980082), § 480-110-245, filed 11/30/99, effective
					 12/31/99.