Guam –
The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is expected to ask its regulatory commission for a raise in water and wastewater rates after that division posted an operating loss of $2.8 million the past eight months.
Broken down, CUC’s operating loss from October 2010 to March 2011 is $1.1 million for water and $1.7 million for wastewater.
The agency will have to file a rate hike petition with the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission, which last approved a rate hike for water and wastewater in May 2010.
Among the biggest expenditures for CUC’s water and wastewater division are salaries and wages of personnel, with a combined cost of $2.8 million; requirements under a stipulated order, with a combined $2.1 million; and other production, $6.9 million.
The stipulated order requires CUC to meet certain requirements in order to become compliant with the Clean Water Act.
Mark Rabago, PNC News, Saipan.