STATE OF FLORIDA - Public Service Commission

ORDER NO. PSC-12-0102-FOF-WS
DOCKET NO. 100330-WS
PAGE 7
This Order addresses the Utility's quality of service, the requested &mi rates, and the
appropriate disposition of the interim rates, implemented PAA rates, and regulatory assets.1o We
have jurisdiction pursuant to Sections 367.081 and 367.082, F.S.
B. Prior Rate Case and Monitoring Plans (Docket No. 080121-WS)
Docket No. 080121-WS was established on February 29, 2008, with the Utility's
notification of its intent to submit an application for general rate relief for its jurisdictional water
and wastewater systems. By Order No. PSC-09-0385-FOF-WS (080121-WS Final Order), we
found that the quality of service provided by AUF was for all systems, except the
Chuluota system, which was found to be unsatishtory. Because of con- with AUF's
customer service, we ordered a six-month Monitoring Plan to address: (1) AUF's apparent
failure to handle customer complaints properly, (2) Am's call centers' process for handling
complaints, and (3) iummct meter readings that resulted in improper bills. The Utility was
required to submit recordings of ca~~ to its all centers," monthly reports, and other
documentation to verify the accuracy of the meter readings and resulting customer bills."
Upon completion of these reporting requirements, our stafF presented its recommendation
regarding AUF's quality of service at the March 16,2010, Commission Confmnce. In addition,
our staE provided an update of the Utility's compliance with the Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), county health depmlments (HDs), and water management districts (WMDs),
which oversee AUF's compliance with environmental rules and regulations. After hearing from
our staff, inkrested parties, and several customers at the conference, we concluded in Order No.
PSC-10-0218-PAA-WS (April 2010 Order)I3 that, while prelimi~~~ results showed substantial
improvement in AUF's customer service, additional monitoring was required to ultimately
determine the adequacy of AUF's quality of service, and ordered continued monitoring of Am's
customer service through December 31,2010, including customer complaints, meter reading and
billing accuracy, and environmental compliance. We inshucted our staffto work collaboratively
with AUF and the other parties in order to develop a cost-effective, efficient, and meaningful
supplemental monitoring plan.
Our staff met with repmenb&ives h m AUF, OPC, AG, and several customer
representatives to discuss speci6cs of a cost-effective monitoring plan consistent wi& our
direction. AUF and OPC agreed to a jointly-proposed Phase II Monitoring Plan and submitted
their Agreement on Scope of Phase II Monitoring. In this document, they agreed upon the
criteria by which quaIity of service would be measured By Order No. PSC-104297-PAA-WS
(May 2010 0rder),l4 we approved the Phase II Monitoring Plan jointly proposed by AUF and
OPC with certain Commission-ordered additions. The approved Phase 11 Monitoring Plan
entailed monitoIing: (1) customer complaints; (2) estknated meter readings; (3) aesthetic water
quality for seven of AUF's systems, (4) the sling of reports by AUF and OPC; (5) our Statrs
ID Thm me 39 issues and 24 stipulations.
" This was so that the Customer Senrice mtative's performance muld bc evaluated and assessed.
~lrr staffalso vgified that a sampling of selected metermdings were ramate.
13
IssuedApril6,2010, inDocketNo. 080121-WS.
" IssuedMay 10,2010, in DocketNo. 080I21-WS.