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some of the things that I think should be mentioned. When we first saw the proposed
<br />Charter Amendment, the reasons given were that this would make enforceable sewer
<br />billing, and would make possible, initiatives for the use of recycled water, for
<br />appropriate purposes. On the issue of enforceable sewer billings, we have been
<br />meeting with the Sewer Department for about two years now, to accomplish just this,
<br />and we're at a point where we have a common understanding of what we'll do and how
<br />we'll help the Sewer Department. Right now, because of the computer system that we
<br />have in place, we cannot physically include sewer billings on our bill. As you notice,
<br />those that do get our billing, it's a postcard, and that postcard doesn't have enough
<br />fields to put sewer billing on, and not enough fields to even get a total for that. So what
<br />we've done, maybe about a year ago, we started a process of getting a new financial
<br />management system. The hardware came in about two weeks ago, so we're in the
<br />process of setting it up so our Accounting people can get some training on the financial
<br />management system. With that financial management system, we assured the Sewer
<br />Department that we would take on their sewer billings, and we would use the leverage
<br />of our discontinuation of water to enforce sewer billings, so that process is already in
<br />place. It's not something that's not there. It's something we agreed. We met with Mr.
<br />Boucher and his staff many, many times, and we're real close to it. The only thing
<br />that's stopping us is having the financial management system completed and in place.
<br />Then the other thing; the initiative for use of recycled water for appropriate purposes. I
<br />don't know of any system on the island, other than the private system, and the system
<br />at the Kona old airport, that is presently using recycled water. I know a lot of the
<br />private hotels do it, but as far as the County, it's only at the old Kailua airport. And
<br />we've talked to Sewer too, and if ever a point in time where they need assistance, we
<br />certainly will assist. The thing is, though, bear in mind, our charge is to deliver
<br />domestic water. This recycled water will not be for consumption. It will probably be for
<br />irrigation; something that the State is talking about a lot nowadays.
<br />So that, kind of, addresses the two reasons given why the transfer should be made,
<br />and I think those two reasons are well addressed already. Also, if you look on my
<br />letter, there's a whole bunch of financial information, and I won't go over it. You can
<br />read the figures for yourself, but the basic thing is that the Sewer Department is in
<br />some financial problem because of EPA mandates, whereby the system has to be
<br />funded from the users, otherwise it will be a violation. There's all kinds of stuff, and if
<br />you looked at the Council meetings, Mr. Boucher made very good presentations on
<br />what should be done, and how it should be done.
<br />There is a definite problem with the Sewer Department, and the problem is, in my
<br />opinion, there's so much facilities with so few customers. Any utility that has facilities
<br />with few customers are going to suffer. That's how it is. And if you expect 5,000 people
<br />to pay the realistic rate, to pay for the facilities, the cost would be outrageous. So there
<br />is a definite problem. But the problem shouldn't be transferred to somebody else. The
<br />problem should be fixed, not transferred, and this is what this proposal is trying to do is
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