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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0657.006 1996-1998 _ - KONA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY „ , -r+~--~,--, . 76-6305 Kaheiau St. • Kona, Hawaii 96740 • (808) 326-9331 L~ February 6, 1998 TO: The Honorable Joe Reynolds County Councilman, South Kona INFO: All Members, County Council FROM: Walter C. Decker, Owner Kona Industrial Development Company RE: County Wastewater Charges In 1997, the Kona Hale Hana Centre, 74-5583 Luhia Street, Kona Business Park, Kailua-Kona, was charged $2,533.94 for 1,216,000 gallons of water and $3,181.29 for wastewater, or a ratio of over 1 to 1.25. However, as 513,000 gallons (please see be- low) was used for landscaping, we were actually charged for the non-landscaping water of 703,000 gallons: 703,E x $2,533.94 = $1,464.93 + the wastewater charge of $3,181.29 = $4,646.22 1,216,000 for the 703,000 gallons of water that entered the sewer's wastewater system, or $6.61!1000 gal. versus $2.08/1000 gal. for the 513,000 gallons of water used for land- scaping. I would suggest that an increase from a rate of $2.08 to a rate of $6.61 is rather significant - as well as being unfair. As a back up to the above, let us look at what we used 1994 thru 1997. Our only use of water in 1994 and 1995 was for landscaping. In January 1996, Gold's Gym was opened, with a separate sub-meter. Hence, water used in 1996 and 1997 included landscaping and Gold's Gym usage. Total Used Total Used Balance Per Dept. of Gold's Gym Used for Water Su~ZpLy Per Sub-Meter Landscapi0g 1994 262,000 gal. -0- 262,000 gal. 1,00o gauaay 1,o~m~i~~y 65~ 0~_ rite Ma ycc SE W ttet. ~O1 ~ 1998 teef. Dent 1,A5t , Joe Reynolds February 6, 1998 - Page Two _ (2 months) 1995 460,000 gal. 16,000 gal. 444,000 gal. 1,260 gal/day 260 gallday 1,220 gal/day 1996 812,000 gal. 564,000 gal. 248,000 gal/ 2,220 gal/day 1,540 gal/day 680 gal/day 1997 1,216,000 gal. 703,000 gal. 513,000 gal. 3,320 gal/day 1,920 gal/day 1,400 gal/day TOTALS 2,850,000 gal. 1,283,000 gal. 1,567,000 gal. With the introduction of waste water charges: Total Water Water Wastewater Landscaping Used Bill Bill Water 1997 1,216,000 gal. $2,533.94 $3,181.29 513,000 gal. 2 months 1996 _123.,000 aal. 209 10 434.73 _35.,000 aa1. TOTALS 1,339,000 gal. $2,743.04 $3,451.89 552,000 gal. Hence, 552,000 gallons of water out of a total of 1,339,000 gallons that we paid for between November 2, 1996 and January 8, 1998, was used exclusively for landscaping, none of which ever entered the sewer's wastewater system but, cost us: Landscapi~ Water = 552.000 x Wastewater charge of Total Water Used 1,339,000 $3,451.89 =sewer charge for NON-USE of sewer of $1,422.62. We're in the process of installing a second water meter for landscaping use only. Will we get a refund of $1,422.62 when this is completed? As to the combined water/wastewater rates: Is this what the County Council thinks is fair? Total Cost of Water 199 $7L4~0_5 = $1.68/1000 gal. Total Water Used 1995 460,000 gal. Total Cost of Water + Wastewater 1997 = $x,715. 3 = $4.70/1000 gallons Total Water Used 1997 1,216,000 gal. An increase in our water rate of $1.68/1000 gals. in 1995 to a water/wastewater rate of $4.70/1000 gallons in 1997. This is what the County Council thinks is a fair increase? 'Joe Reynolds February 6, 1998 Page Three What should be done to this obnoxious wastewater charge for it to become equitable? As I don't know what is trying to be achieved, I don't have a solution recommendation. I just know that an additional "tax" equal to 125% of my water bill for no increase in service is totally unwarranted. Several years ago, when my building was built, second meters for landscaping were not allowed by the County -nor was the additional cost of installing a second meter justifiable. However, when Gold's Gym opened, because of the huge increase in water that they alone would be using, we installed a separate sub-meter to measure water used by them. From a landlord's point of view which is more important, to measure a tenant's huge use of water that the tenant pays for, or a separate meter for landscaping purposes that all ten- ants pay for? Obviously the sub-meter for the single tenant. Otherwise, how would one know how much that tenant was to pay? And the balance of water used would be charged proportionately to all other tenants. No tenant would pay a bill for anything other than his own sub-meter. That's not the way the Wastewater Division saw it when I requested a landscaping exemp- tion last August. At a cost to me of several thousands of dollars, they insist on a separate meter for the landscaping and would not accept my sub-meter for Gold's Gym. We're in the process of having a second water meter installed for our landscaping water, but the design required by the County, time and money are all working against us. In the mean- time, this insane wastewater charge goes on. And, we are required to pay all charges, re- gardless of their fairness, before we are even allowed to appeal these gross charges. If we have to pay a wastewater charge for no increase in service, it should at least be fair. Even the $10/month per tenant charge is unfair as we have one tenant, Gold's Gym, that uses water and seven that use no water. We even have one bay, without water, that we let a church choir store their stands they use when they perform, at no cost to them for the bay. Are we being charged extra for this? What incentive is there for our business to make charitable contributions if the government comes along and charges that business for so doing? Please enact a better wastewater charge system. DEPARTMENT OF WATEK SUVt'Ll' DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY couNly or unwnu ~ COUNIV Oi i I/rVJnli "AUPUNI SrRLEI - I OLO, I IAWFI~~ vb iT1` 7v AV' `II SiRLIT - HII U, i NWAIi x;6/70 Ph10NL (E108> 961-fJ6dU HON( 180.3) 9M-8660 1 e R pA1F uE eui~--- S RVI ENV FR UAIF OF Bill T 4 J i :r r.--. J i - - A ' I4; ~ ` AMOI~Nf M RNE DIN O GREVIOUS PIt14 N1 N" _ - n cus rni irvl nMOUw~J 763 99:'. ~ :S' ~ ti . `Sf ~ c 1 __.i II I>prviousnnlnNCi ' J ` ! -r,~l. ~PI:CVIOU$ UntANi_1 _ _ ~r l(_)_1"i e: i+; i'O_. F'A Yh'IF_N~T~S Stta. i~i- 4-jr~Q~ i~2~ 4~ - _ _ - E 61ri o _ for i 7/47 9/0'~ ~Itie,.~,'' I KONA ZhdC)LI I hC7:(tL U1.i11 ~''.`'-1 ;Pii~J 7~:'T 1 IitnSL PN CIM VNII::b(I: t~ 1FAlSF P`V IoIA/I~yf,Cir ~9 { ~ `f~'L-/ Y~ RETURN RIGHT SIDE STUB WITH PAYf.7CNT RETURN RIGHT SIDE TUD W CH PAYMENT I DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPL, courvly or iinwnu COi1N IY OI- tIAWn!! 25 AUPUNI $I12F 6t I III O.IInINnll `7'~~.'I'~ 25 AUPUNI S1RCE(- KILO, HA~NAII 96/20 PHONf_ (ti0i4) 9G I ri66U PHc~NC (808) 961-8660 E N MB ? pn"-`n °14L , F VICE N MBER pNF OE ant I ~-j57-96868-0 , iS?•-95468-O ~_:!':L q-: i s R B I I ^ AMOUNI -_-I M RREA I G cen R PR(VIUpS PRIq NI i - nmwous ritraNr ixo:~o~ nmouNr ~ 99~ 116' 1 (C ~-~ffbl.':; 2:.::?;. Z4•?i i_?`~I _S :_c .:ZC) v4tSfa; 5u ~ I I>f1LVIOlA`, OnInN,~I PI=1 v10115 HALANCi t F} CO Pt~''r I~iEIUT'~ t ~I ~4 ~ ~Q ~z9 6f61Q7 K~ t~v N ,o ;d~nl QOM -a-_. i._ r - US i 9/49 11/O¢_~ k:UI Ita INC _.t~ I RTi-i. ~.'1=! KCINp INI:)U~ TRT.tll-. G>E.:V1.LL. i d I"._ Li!::' iii [nP rnv io;nl uuu c nlt n5l PAV IG~'ni ilnn h: C.R, 3 z 6 c F.t~.. RETURN RIGHT SIDE STUD TYITH PAYI1CNT RETUflNRiGHTS1DE5TU91N17HPAYMENT - - -~--=-w•` ~n~, I I II I I p, r, -r~~ DEPARTME~ri~~`WA'('~R~SU~~PI~' ~ ~ DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPF courvrv of i~nwnu COUNIV OF HnWAiI 25 AUPUNI $iREEI - KILO, HAWnu 0 25 AUPUNI SrRICi HILO. HAW:11I V67°0 PHONC (flOD) 961-8640 PHONI (80ti) 9C~ t-8000 vl uMac - pnlE ul nu i _ _ ER 1 F NU R R DnrC Of ~Blll_] 35'1-9Er G16C3--CI ~ 7i1.""i';'~r _j E F m ~d~c,r~ _ RI>FVlhu VRr$LM o ma nm nun _-F EApIN2+ 0 5 _ _ ~ _ flq b'fl+IiS il!'GLNI Nos AMOUN} E-" 116 17a°V t'f7 11'..!:;t~ 'G ~F7J 2rE,) l.. ri'Qi. F rai.vious eninrvcl ,.<ItI. ~I' PRi VIOU1 BAEnNCI j fl LI i i i"FI'i`1°it~N~l"r..; 8i:i~~+.k-°t; ~ ~l q~ K~`~ i,. =EijOM ~-fd ~ ~ 1/06 /C,fa 1,r.FSt) itN, S; t5. 'r ~b KCiN/t 1:NI:)LIF;"('It Tit Dl:.l!I t FCOP.IA 7NI')L18'I FCTA,_ Ri EASC vnv irn ni urr. i s: a. n [nsi unv mini. uN:rs cc ILLnNi,linh(i,fliii:i 1 C ~ O~YV[T RETURN RIGHT SIDE STUB W17H PAYMENT RETURN RIGHT SIDE STUB HPAYM ENT WASTEWATER DIVISION counln of HAWAII 25 AUPUNI STREET • HV' HAWAII 94720 ' PHONE (BOW 1338 f SER-ICE NVMBER - - DATE OF Blll a ' I '~I ~J. / / t~~. DESLCR~ 1ON AMOVNT L CURRENT CHARGES qy ~1$ . 7 9 3. 2 0 ' PREVIOUS CHARGES 1~ j 0 ~C/O?jr~~~ ~D(6~~f77 ~9 ~~31'SO 64..40 UNIT CHARGE 40.00 E T l• ;L 181 73,40 I YD ,t~.> RuL~. .((t~R8 SEWER BILL WASTEWATER DIVlSIOn WASTEWATER.DIVISION ZS AUPUNI STRfEi - HILQ HAWAII 96120 COUNn OF HAWAI l PHONE IBOW 961-8338 25 AUPUNI STREET • HILO, HAWAII 96720 PHONE IBOW 961.8338 SFRVKL NUMBER DATE Of Blll SERVICE NUMBER DATE OF Bill t1;7-vo3o;t-U 7/2d/b7 $57-96868-0 11/26/97 'l, OESCRIPTIpN AMOUNT DEXRIPTE N AMOUNT CURRENT CHARGES 4 ~ 7 . ` CURRENT CHARGES PREVIOUS CHARGES ~ ~ . c t' 1 i $ 73.4 0 NAYI'4c"rT5 y,; < ~Etv~I~4sHARGES'QA1p 11080.20 ~o(~ /A~ ~ l f3~ Q 9 `f R 5.2.0 ('t UNIT CHARGE 40.00 CONSMP CHARGE 549.36 FROM TO TAL _ FROM T TpTAt v5/Jo J;/,)o :.,7,,~~ 9/U9 11/06 1.3$2.56 SEWE6". ` SEWER'BILL WASTEWATER DIVISION couNn of HAwal . , 25 AUPUNI STREET - HILO, HAWAII 96720 ~ " i. ~ , I PHONE 18081961.8338 / r ~Q~k~~ ~ ( ~ SERVKE NUMflER pATE OF eIIt 1 1+ l 1 VVV 857-96868-0 9/26/97 i~ .I 7 DESCRIPTION AMOUNL ~~~„w'r CURRENT CHARGES 6 4 2 • 4 ~ ~ ~ , PREVIOUS RGES 37 • d 0 tojf/97 • u , , ; FROM TO T 7Al 05/06 07/07 1080.20 DELINQUENT SEWER ~I4.IIFIIIIJ111111111,1;. .'>A• .i~ j I Lawmakers reject relief for sewer customers By JASON ARMSTRONG West Hawaii Today HILO -New county sewer Robert Thompson, a Kona Bay rates have some customers paying Estates homeowner, said his sewer huge increases and others urinal- bill jumped Crom $36 to $210 ing outside to lower expenses, yet because he waters his lawn and these and other first-hand fills a swimming pool with water accounts failed to convince law- that never reaches the county's makers Thursday to back rclicf sewage treatment plant. legislation. "Over in Kona, we have to use a Bimonthly bills since July have fair amount of water for landscape been based on water use under a irrigation," he told commiuce fee schedule the Hawaii County members. "I do object to being sin- Council's Finance Committee gled out along with other pcoplc voted 5-3 not to change despite who live in West 1-]awaii." pleas from sevaral customers. Judy Bailey, another Kona Bay An estimated two-thirds of the Estates homeowner, said her recent 6,241 homes, apartments and busi- sewer bill was $585 fora two- nesses served by the county's month period sewer system arc now pay much Masa Takaki, a Papaikou resi- higher bills. The cost increases arc dent, said he is also I'ucing higher due to a consumption surcharge Cor sewage lets bec:msc his grandson water use that exceeds a specific uses a lot of water to raise fish for limit, such as ] 2,000 gallons a a school science project. month for single-family house- "With the consumption fees, now holds. FI'OfTt Page 1A just the $20 monthly flat rate lial exemptions to lower their the men use the bathroom out- received support only from tom- sewer bills. doors;'Takaki said. "We arc forced miltce Chairman Aaron Chung of Lawmakers who voted against to do these unsanitary things Htlo, Hamakua Councilman repealing the consumption sur- because of the usage of water." Dominic Yagong and North Kona charges said they Cecl the maxi- Councilman Curtis Tyler. mum-use amounts arc rcasonablc. Repealing the consumption sur- "I believe there is no rcasonablc Thcy also expressed concerns charges would cu[ scwcr revenues nexus between water usage and about losing millions of dollars that by $2.A million a year, according to scwcr usage;' Chung said. arc earmarked Cor county opera- acounty estimate prepared for law- Tyler noted county scwcr cos- lions. makers. tomers may install a second meter The full council is expected to Abill that would asses customers to ~auQC irrigation use or seek par- -volt on the rclicf bill in two weeks. Council ®Ks 25 percent sewer rate hike By JASON ARMSTRONG tomers, whose rates will not change. month Cor a typical household. "The rates were set too low to West Hawaii Today "We need to make sure pcoplc Landscape irrigation and other begin with," North Kona HILO -The county's residen- arc paying for the services,' Kau high-demand water uses have Councilman Curtis Tyier said. tial sewer rates will increase from Councilman John Santangelo said. resulted in about 15 percent of res- Opposition to [he higher rates $20 to $25 per month, although "This is a fair and equitable policy idential customers paying the sur- came from Hamakua Councilman customers will no longer be subject that's going to benefit the pcoplc." charge, according to county Dominic Yagong and Hilo to a surcharge for excessive water Sewer rates must generate records. Some pay more than $100 Councilman Aaron Chung. use under the new Oat-rate plan. enough revenues to offset opera- a month Cor sewer services. Yagong called the consumption The Hawaii Courtly Council lion and maintenance costs for the Lawmakers agreed to switch to a fcc "totally unfair" and suggested voted 7-2 Wednesday to approve county to comply with the condi- flat rate in an effort to achieve a keeping the $20 flat rate for a year the new rates, which arc expected Lions of federal grants used to par- fairer system that would still goner- and then evaluating the program. to take effect at the start of the next Bally finance its system. ate the same aC revenues as the cur- "All we're doing is moving the bimonthly billing cycle. Rates Cur the county's 2,400 sin- rcpt system using the surcharge. chairs around," he said. A second Council vote, expected gle- and multiple-family costumers "This really isn't too much of a Chung said customers cannot in two weeks, is rcyuired before the rose from $ 18 per month to the cur- burden to bear," Kohala Council- withstand a combined $7 monthly new rate will become law. rent $20 last July ] .The rate plan man John Ray said of his bill impos- increase in less than a year. I{e A surcharge for excessive water included a surcharge of $3.55 for ing the Oat $25 monthly rate. "(II is called for a compromise increase use will continue to be applied to every 1,000 gallons of water above ihe) most equitable and responsible oC $3 per month, although other the county's 700 cocmnercia] cos- the limit of 12,000 gallons per way to address the situation.' lawmakers refused to support that.