PRASA to hold public hearings on new water rate structure
By The Star Staff
In compliance with the fiscal plan certified by the Financial Oversight and Management Board, the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) announced Sunday it will start public hearings to consult clients on a proposed new water rate structure.
The new rates for water and sewage services are expected to go into force on July 1.
PRASA Executive President Doriel Pagán Crespo noted that the objective of modifying the rate structure is to simplify the monthly bill received by clients, which will allow them to better understand and control charges, bringing them up to industry standards. She said the new rate structure will ensure that the public corporation guarantees compliance with its commitments and regulations, as well as the continuity of an essential and first-rate service for Puerto Rico.
“From PRASA, we are aware of the importance of the service we offer to the people, and as part of our responsibility we have directed a review of the rate structure that will result in a simpler, fairer and more equitable one without affecting customers,” Pagán Crespo said.
The PRASA director called on clients to participate in the hearings.
The public hearings are scheduled for March 15-17 in different places across the island.
The public hearing process will be conducted in compliance with the Uniform Law for the Review and Modification of Rates of May 31, 1985 (Act 21), as amended, and with the purpose of providing a broad and open forum to all Puerto Rico residents who are interested in commenting on the proposal.
Due to the restrictions established to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the public hearings will be held in a hybrid manner, in which the designated examining officer, Ferdinand Quiñones Márquez, will preside over the hearings remotely and the public will be able to participate in a face-to-face manner.
People who wish to testify during the public hearings may do so in person through a previously reserved appointment through the official examiner’s portal: https://fquinon.wixsite.com/tarifas2022aaa. The examining officer will also allow citizens who do not participate in the public hearings the opportunity to submit their comments in writing. For the general public, the public hearings will be broadcast live through the following link: https://www.acueductospr.com/transmisions-en-vivo.
Meanwhile, the deadline to submit written presentations and comments is March 27, 10 days after the public hearings are held. All applications or papers must be sent to Quiñones Márquez, via email, fquinon@gmail.com, or by mail, attention: Ferdinand Quiñones Márquez, PO Box 3387, Brentwood, TN 37024.