COLUMBUS, Ind. – The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) is inviting comments on the City of Columbus’s pending water rate request through March 26.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) also announced it will hold a public field hearing in Columbus on Monday, March 10.
The OUCC – the state agency representing consumer interests in cases before the IURC – is using its technical and legal resources to review the utility’s proposal. Formal testimony from the OUCC is due April 2.
Consumers can submit written comments for the case via the form on OUCC’s website at in.gov/oucc/2361.htm, or by mail to: Public Comments, Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, 115 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 South, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Consumer comments will be included in the formal case record for Commission review. Comments should include the consumer’s name, city, zip code, and a reference to either “IURC Cause No. 46173” or “Columbus City Utilities.” If you have questions about submitting written comments, contact the OUCC’s consumer services staff toll-free at 1-888-441-2494.
The IURC public field hearing in this case on Monday, March 10, will be in the Cal Brand Meeting Hall at Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington St., at 6 p.m. Consumers are encouraged to arrive by 5:45 p.m. for an overview of field hearing procedures and the rate case process. No final decisions about the case will be made at the hearing.
The sole purpose of a field hearing is to receive public testimony. A final decision is expected this fall.
- Consumers can speak directly to the Commission under oath and on the record
- Oral comments presented during the field hearing will become part of the case record and will carry the same weight as written consumer comments submitted to the OUCC by March 26
- Utilities do not make presentations or answer questions during field hearings as the focus, again, is on public input
- Commissioners are not allowed to answer questions about the case and will render a decision after weighing evidence from the utility, the OUCC, and intervening parties
- OUCC staff will be available to answer questions at the hearing
Columbus City Utilities’ current water rates received Commission approval in 2021. The utility is requesting approval to issue approximately $30 million in long-term debt in this case, along with the rate increase.
According to its testimony, the utility is seeking the changes due to higher operating and maintenance costs and to continue ongoing repairs and enhancements intended to extend the useful life of its water treatment plants and storage tanks, as well as the replacement of aging water mains.
Under the city’s proposed two-phase increase, monthly water charges for a residential customer using 4,000 gallons would rise from $18.97 currently to $22.53 this fall, and $26.04 in January 2027.
Only the city’s water rates are at issue in this case. The IURC does not have jurisdiction over municipal sewer rates, which are set by locally elected city and town councils throughout the state.
The OUCC is posting case updates online at www.in.gov/oucc/watersewer/key-cases-by-utility/columbus-city-utilities/. Case updates are also available through the agency’s monthly electronic newsletter. Consumers can subscribe at www.in.gov/oucc/news/.
