08-R322

2008 -- S 3128

Enacted 06/18/08

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION DENY THE PROPOSED THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT RATE INCREASE REQUESTED BY THE KENT COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY

Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Blais, Breene, and McCaffrey

Date Introduced: June 18, 2008

     WHEREAS, The Kent County Water Authority (KCWA) was established in 1946 by the

Rhode Island General Assembly (Public Law 1740) and was charged with providing quality

water at a reasonable rate to its ratepayers, who include citizens of Kent County in its entirety,

and portions of North Kingstown, Scituate and Cranston; and

     WHEREAS, The applied rate increase of 35% ($135.00) to the average customer is far

above the current rate of inflation and much more than the average person can afford to bear

under the current economic circumstances; and

     WHEREAS, With Rhode Island currently suffering from a distressed economy, with job

losses, sky-rocketing food prices and energy costs, the consumer today cannot afford to pay

exorbitant increases for every day necessities like water usage; and

     WHEREAS, The Kent County Water Authority should be looking at alternative

conservation methodologies to reduce water usage and at the same time reduce water costs for its

ratepayers; and

     WHEREAS, The Kent County Water Authority should henceforth conduct an internal

review, as well as consulting with other water authorities, to seek out ways to manage its

operation more efficiently in order to provide increased savings for its consumers and to keep

costs and future rate increases to a minimum; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests that the Rhode Island Public

Utilities Commission deny the requested thirty-five percent rate increase by the Kent County

Water Authority; and be it father

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission,

and the Kent County Water Authority.

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LC03159

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