Big changes — many of which are long overdue — are in store for the Oak Creek Water Co., including a new name on the door.
Last week the company announced it would officially become a Domestic Water Improvement District after approval by the Arizona Corporation Commission. With that comes several benefits for the company, which, in turn, will help its customers. The water company will vote on approving itself as a district on Aug. 21.
“It’s been a long haul,” OCWC President Doug Bowen said, adding that it will soon change its name to Oak Creek Water District. “It’s a major sigh of relief from the entire board. It’s time to catch our breath.”
In addition to the district status, it will soon see nearly $8 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a series of projects. Of that amount, $5,660,000 is a grant that does not have to be repaid, with another $2,325,000 approved for a 40-year, low-interest loan.
The projects will be broken into two phases. The first is to install an arsenic treatment plant for $600,000. Two years ago the regulators determined the company’s levels of arsenic exceeded that allowed by law.
Included in the first phases will be the repairing and repainting — inside and out — of four of its tanks and refinancing a current loan. This work is expected to be completed by this time next year.
The second phase will see 7 miles of its water mains replaced. All work must be completed by May 2023.
Bowen said some of the benefits of now being a DWID include:
■ Moving from under the ACC as a company and into a special taxing district of Yavapai County.
■ Eligibility for grants and below-market loans.
■ Exemption from real and personal property taxes.
■ Future rate increases will cost the company under $500 instead of more than $30,000 through the ACC.
■ Board meetings are now open to the public.
“The best customer is an educated customer,” Bowen said. “This way they can come and speak their mind and hopefully some will choose to be a board member. Many of the current ones are getting up there in age and we’d like to get more people involved.”
Later this month customers will see a rate increase in their monthly bills. But as Bowen pointed out, the increase has nothing to do with the recent turn of events. The increase was approved in 2016 and will see the average bill go from $21.78 a month to $25.32.
“Basically we’re playing catch up,” he said.
Talk of becoming a DWID began two years ago when the arsenic levels were deemed too high. Then, following a July 2019 meeting, the company circulated a petition among its customers seeking their support to become a district. In all, they obtained 575 signatures out of the 875 parcels the company serves. This equated to 67%, far above the state’s 51% requirement. Bowen said that 90% of the residents they met with in person were in favor of the district. He attributed the lower overall percentage to the high number of out-of-town property owners who did not respond to the petition.
“It was like pulling teeth with some of the out-of-state owners, but of them I think we got about 50% to respond,” he said.
As noted, he said nearly 90% of the local residents were in favor of the district and thus improving the company and its services. But for Bowen that came as little surprise. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and people were furloughed or lost their jobs, he said customers came forward offering to help their neighbors pay their water bills while others gave money to lend a helping hand to anyone else. In fact, he said during the stay-at-home order he had to send out just two late notices — and in both cases they paid within the week.
“We have unbelievable customers,” Bowen said. “I don’t even know how else to say that. We’re kind of all like a family. I think when you treat someone like that, they will treat you the same way.”
