Groups in Sun Cities join forces to fight water hike proposals

JEFF DEMPSEY

DAILY NEWS-SUN

Community leaders in Sun City and Sun City West met Monday afternoon to discuss teaming up against Arizona American Water’s upcoming water rate case, a move several of the participants described as an unprecedented level of cooperation.

"We wanted to get all these groups together and try to get a handle on this water situation," said Gene Westemeier, president of the Recreation Centers of Sun City board of directors. "I think it’s important we all stay in tune on this. It’s imperative we work together."

Members of the RCSC, Sun City Home Owners Association, Sun City Taxpayers Association, Sun City Condo Owners Association and Sun City West Property Owners and Residents Association met to compare notes and divvy up responsibilities. Sun City residents are looking at a rate increase for water and wastewater, while Sun City West residents are facing only a wastewater hike after being handed a water rate increase last year.

Sun City water users face a 27.7 percent water rate hike and a boost of 40.8 percent to rid their homes of wastewater. The cost of wastewater to Sun City West residents would go up about $6 a month on average.

Vance Coleman, RCSC director, said there is too much work for any one group to tackle alone.

"If we stand together, we have a better chance to affect change," Coleman said. "We can fight it, and we can beat it."

After discussing the task at hand, the group decided there are four areas they will focus on. First is the rate case itself. Second is the threat of rate consolidation. Third is the bundling of cases, in which multiple rate cases are heard at the same time. And finally, legislation.

"We’ll fight the rate case, but I’ll tell you right now I’m not holding out much hope," said Larry Woods, PORA board president. "But the big problems, and the areas where we have a chance to change something, is with consolidation and with bundling."

Woods said bundling cases is why PORA had so much trouble with the Sun City West water case last year.

"When it came down to it, the Ari-zona Corporation Commission would not separate our case from the rest of them," Woods said. "And you’re seeing that here, again. You have Sun City bundled in with Anthem. What do you guys have to do with Anthem? Nothing. it just makes life easier for the corporation commission."

Consolidation is a prospect the group said Monday they are adamantly against. Woods and fellow PORA Director Bill Hansen used Tubac as an example.

"Tubac only has about 2,000 people, but they have a bad arsenic problem," Woods said. "So by government mandate, the water company has to build an arsenic treatment plant, a multi-million dollar facility. The customers will pay for that. And if rate consolidation becomes a reality, we will all be paying for projects like that, even if it isn’t anywhere near us."

In the long term, Woods said it will take legislation to keep consolidation from happening.

"We need to get something done in the Legislature because as it is, there is no legislation in place to stop the commission," Woods said.

Members of the group were assigned to address topics, with the idea of coming together again in a couple of weeks to discuss their progress.

"That is the right strategy. We can’t afford to be reactive anymore," said Rick Gray, SCTA and SCHOA board member. "This is not an either/or situation. We need to pursue all means available to us."

The most important thing, they agreed, was to involve the people of Sun City and Sun City West. Through e-mails to the commission, through signing petitions, the more people involved the better.

"And I think we need to focus on the things they have a choice in," Woods said. "They are obliged to approve a rate increase if the numbers are right. They don’t have a choice. But consolidation, they don’t have to do that. They have a choice there. And that’s the area where, if we apply pressure, we can change their minds."

Jan Ek, RCSC General Manager, advocated for sending out e-mails in waves, focusing on one issue at a time. Woods agreed, saying they need to force Arizona American and the ACC to address as many concerns as possible.

"If we attack them on a variety of issues, through e-mail, in the papers, they can’t ignore them," Woods said.

Jeff Dempsey may be reached at 623-876-2531 or jdempsey@yourwestvalley.com.

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