►
Description
Public Water and Wastewater system infrastructure task force
This meeting has been delayed from it's original 1pm start time. It will begin shortly after the current meeting ends.
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A
A
A
Let
me
just
say
that
you
know
we
did
this
task
force
last
year.
It
was
we
had
a
lot
of
good
participation
from
from
a
lot
of
folks,
but
this
was
an
issue
that
seemed
I
guess
to
have
a
lot
being
a
lot
more
complicated
and
have
a
lot
more
issues
than
we
could
actually
do
in
just
one
interim
and
come
with
some
recommendations
or
whatever
for
future
legislation
or
or
whatever.
A
A
A
We
want
to
work
with
all
the
groups
that
were
at
home
last
year
and
the
groups
that
were
asking
to
be
added
this
year
and
we
want
to
hear
from
you
and
we're
gonna,
be
you
know
you
contact
me
anytime
and
I'd
be
willing
to
sit
down
and
meet
with
you
about
issues
that
you
have
going
forward
with
public
water
and
wastewater
system
infrastructures.
So
with
that
word
we're
glad
today
to
have
Kent,
Chandler
I
was
going
to
say,
executive
director,
Public,
Service,
Commission,
but
I
think
that's
a
commissioner
I
think
Thank.
A
B
A
B
Taskforce
I
apologize
for
making
the
one-week-old
agenda
stale
with
the
news
last
week
that
that
I
was
appointed
as
a
commissioner
of
the
Public
Service
Commission.
So,
with
that
caveat,
that's
how
I'll
be
presenting
today,
I'll
use
the
preface
that
Commissioner
Matthews
always
uses
when
you
all
allow
her
to
come
over
and
speak
to
you.
That
I
can
only
speak
for
myself
and
not
behalf
of
the
Commission,
and
that
the
Commission
can
only
speak
through
its
order.
B
So
it
also
provides
a
little
more
nuance
today
with
what
I
provide
in
that
I'm,
not
really
giving
my
opinion
on
how
I'd
rule
on
anything
or
anything.
That's
before
me,
but
just
sort
of
conveying
the
evidence
that
the
Public
Service
Commission
has
been
provided
over
the
last
few
weeks.
So
with
that
I'll
go
ahead
and
get
started
the
presentation
and
just
quickly
a
little
bit
of
background
out
of
this
will
bore
some
of
the
some
of
the
task
force
members.
That
may
be
more
aware.
B
The
Commission
regulates
a
bit
more
than
a
thousand
utilities,
including
water
and
sewer
utilities.
Those
are
the
non
municipal,
water
and
sewer
utilities,
natural
gas
distribution
systems,
interstate
pipelines,
electric
utilities,
telecommunications
utilities.
Again
we
do
not
regulate
me
utilities,
except
that
we
regulate
their
gas
systems
for
safety
and
we
do
not
regulate
the
distribution,
the
electric
cooperatives
that
receive
their
power
and
transmission
from
the
Tennessee
Valley
Authority.
B
Three
commissioners,
approximately
70
employees,
the
Public
Service
Commission
I
think's
a
little
lower
than
that
right
now.
We've
historically
would
talk
about
impacts
of
kovat
have
always
had
the
ability,
or
for
years
now
for
utilities
and
members
of
the
public
to
use
electronic
filing
with
the
Commission.
Where
there's
little
to
no
paper
involved,
we
made
a
significant
change
when
kovat
occurred,
we're
asking
people
not
to
send
us
any
paper.
That's
for
two
reasons:
one.
B
B
So
when
kovat
really
started
becoming
an
issue
in
late
February
and
into
March
about
30
jurisdictions
that
had
the
ability
to
do
so
issued
moratoriums
on
disconnections
for
non-payment,
there
are
a
number
of
jurisdictions
that
put
orders
out
that
acknowledged
that
they
did
not
have
the
authority
to
put
a
moratorium
and
disconnections
and
and
even
a
number
of
those
orders
and
press
releases
from
those
jurisdictional.
Commission's
noted
that
they
had
come
to
some
sort
of
agreement
with
their
utilities
that
are
subject
to
their
jurisdiction.
With.
A
B
Handful
of
states
and
I
mean
a
handful
I
think
by
my
last
count.
It's
less
than
five
had
lifted
or
'is
there
moratoriums
I,
know
Virginia
recently,
with
her
a
comment
period,
there
Virginia
Corporation
Commission
on
this
issue
on
disconnections
at
least,
took
comments
from
the
utilities
and
I
believe
decided
to
leave
the
moratorium
in
place,
but
I
believe
put
a
date
out
there
in
which
they
would
be
relieving
their
utilities
from
that
moratorium.
B
So
the
PSC
initially
responded
to
kovat
and
a
March
16
order
where
they
suspended
disconnections
for
non-payment
and
the
implementation
of
late
fees
for
for
late
payment.
They
are.
The
Commission
also
requested
that
utilities
implement
implement
their
tariffs
liberally
when
there's
flexibility
that
can
be
read
any
utilities
tariff.
The
Commission
just
simply
asked
utilities
to
use
that
flexibility.
They
the
Commission,
ceased
in-person
inspections
for
electric
gas,
sewer
water
and
and
have
conducted
inspections
to
the
extent
they
can
remotely
and
I
can
talk
about
that
a
little
bit
later.
B
If
we
have
additional
time
Chairman
we
closed
our
building
to
the
public
and
that
we
granted
a
number
of
deviations
on
non
safety
related
inspections.
Ones
like
trying
to
thank.
There
are
a
number
of
valve
inspections
for
water
utilities.
Once
a
year,
the
utility
has
to
go
around
and
check
every
single
one
of
its
valves
in
its
system.
B
If
that
was
coming
up
the
utility
effectively
or
the
Commission
granted
a
waiver
to
those
utilities
saying
you
know,
your
workforce
may
need
to
be
doing
X
or
Y,
or
you
may
want
to
you
know
you
may
want
to
have
that
flexibility
so
that
you
we're
not
going
to
hold
your
feet
to
the
fire
on
that
one
year.
For,
for
you
know,
looking
doing
inspections
of
valves.
B
There
are
regulations
that
require
that
utilities
maintain
minimum
office
hours
and
have
a
Lobby
open
the
Commission
granted
deviations
on
those,
so
that
utilities
could
feel
comfortable.
Closing
their
Lobby
is
lobbies
having
their
workers,
feel
safe
and
required
arrived
through
only,
for
instance,
there's
also
a
requirement
that
utilities
provide
a
place
in
their
office
and
a
desk
where
a
utility
customer
can
come
in
and
view
their
paper
or
tariffs
sitting
at
a
desk.
B
The
Commission
granted
a
temporary
creation
from
that
again
worried
about
the
health
and
safety
of
not
only
the
customers
but
also
the
folks
working
in
the
utility
office.
We
have
urged
people
very
strongly
to
stop
using
paper,
filings
and
move
to
electronic
filings
and
then
also
some
non
safety
related
reports
related
to
certain
non
safety
related
inspections.
B
We
have
very
proud
of
this.
We
have
conducted
six
virtual
hearings
during
kovat
19,
at
least
one
of
them
included
multiple
intervenors
and
the
utility.
It
was
a
there's
been
two
or
three
have
been
full-day
evidentiary
hearings
where
people
have
all
been
able
to
participate.
The
parties
have
been
able
to
participate
remotely
using
a
blue
jeans
like
program
we've
been
able
to,
you
know,
do
significant
amount
of
cross-examination.
B
We've
also
been
able
to,
thankfully
move
in
and
out
seamlessly
into
confidential
portions
of
testimony
where
there
are
issues
that
are
brought
up
that
are
subject
to
confidentiality.
Petitions
for
non-disclosure
under
the
Kentucky
Open
Records
Act.
Our
building
remains
closed.
The
public
we
currently
have
it
depends
on
the
day
between
4:00
and
maybe
on
a
hearing
day,
10
or
12
people
in
the
Public
Service
Commission
office.
B
Thankfully,
we
have
an
office
that
that's
very
conducive
to
working
in
a
Cove
in
nineteen
world.
Everyone
has
their
own
office.
That
has
a
door.
We
have
no
cubicles,
we
have
very
few
shared
spaces
and
has
actually
worked
out
quite
nights
for
people
to
be
able
to
come
in
close
their
door,
feel
comfortable
working
in
their
workspace
and
then
go
home
within
the
day
when
needed.
B
We
asked
1619
rural,
like
all
nineteen
Rural,
Electric,
Cooperative's
19
water
districts
and
water
associations
and
the
major
investor
owned
utilities
between
16
and
17
data
requests.
Apiece
we've
heard
back
from
one
of
the
investor
owned
utilities,
I
guess
technically
to
Louisville
gas
and
electric
and
Kentucky
utilities.
We've
heard
back
from
I
think
approximately
14
or
15
of
the
rule.
Electric
cooperatives
and
we've
gotten
data
back
on
five
or
six
of
the
small
water
utilities.
I
can
say,
at
least
for
the
small
water
utilities.
B
I
haven't,
received
an
updated
where
I
could
say
that
it's
a
necessarily
what
I'm
seeing
in
those
is
representative
of
the
number
that
we
have
across
the
state,
but
we're
hoping
that
the
19
that
we
did
choose
to
ask
data
requests
from
ends
up
being
a
pretty
good
cross-section
of
the
utilities,
both
that
we
regulate,
but
also
chairmen
that
would
be
applicable
to
like
the
municipal
utilities.
So
that
we
get
a
good
understanding
of
what
impact
the
disconnection
moratorium
and
late
fee
moratorium
may
have
had
on
on
operations
in
cash
flow.
B
A
couple
of
just
initial
takeaways
from
those
data
requests.
The
on-time
payment
for
customers
has
been
fairly
consistent
with
the
historical
trends.
There
is
one
utility
that
we
have
found
that
has
this
I,
wouldn't
even
call
it
significant,
but
but
a
deviation
downward
in
the
number
of
on-time
payments
from
customers,
but
as
a
general
matter,
the
rest
of
the
utilities
are
running
approximately
at
or
above
the
average
on
time.
For
customers
there
is
an
increasing
dollar
amount
per
delinquent
customer.
B
We
asked
for
average
bills
for
each
month
historically
and
current
for
new
service,
the
service
that
was
provided
over
the
past
month.
How
much
was
that
bill
for
and
how
much
was
for
total
service
the
amount
for
current
service
plus
the
amount
owed
from
a
previous
bill,
and
that
number
is
increasing,
but
we
were
actually
I
am
I'll,
say
very
surprised
that
it's
not
increasing
by
more
it's
actually
a
fairly
modest
amount.
Each
month
of
that,
arrearage
is
building
up,
which
would
indicate
a
couple
of
things,
one
that
certainly
people
are
built.
B
B
We've
also
heard-
and
this
is
a
bit
anecdotal-
we-
we
provided
an
opportunity
for
each
utility
to
give
us
outside
of
the
questions
we
asked
an
opportunity
to
you
know:
do
you
have
anything
else
that
you
would
like
the
Commission
to
consider,
and
these
orders
and
some
of
the
utilities
have
speculated
that
there
are
some
customers
not
paying,
because
they
don't
have
to
worry
about
the
disconnection.
Maybe
people
who
could
pay
and
are
choosing
not
to
based
off
the
fact
that
the
current
on-time
bill
pay
is
consistent
with
the
historical
average
I.
B
Don't
know
that,
with
the
data
we've
seen,
we
can
really
take
that
away
from
from
the
information
that
we've
been
provided.
It
seems
to
be
fairly
consistent
with
the
historical
trends,
so
it
seems
to
be
the
folks
who
have
struggle
paying
in
the
past
are
generally
the
folks
who
are
having
having
problems
paying
now.
B
Moving
forward.
Put
these
as
questions,
because
it's
a
lot
easier
to
ask
yourself
a
question
than
it
is
to
get
somebody
an
answer,
but
the
questions
that
the
Commission
has
to
sort
of
ask
themselves
is
how
and
when
does
it
modify
these
orders?
Does
it
either
walk
the
orders
back,
modify
them
to
a
degree
or
unwind
them?
B
Is
there
gonna
be
a
time
in
the
next
few
weeks
where
any
utility
is
comfortable
with
bringing
somebody
in
setting
them
down
at
the
table
and
letting
them
go
over
for
as
ever,
however
long
they
would
like
to
go
over
utility.
You
know
paper
tariffs,
particularly
a
world
where
the
public
libraries
have
started
to
reopen.
There
are
public
places
if
somebody
doesn't
have
a
computer
to
review
tariffs
online.
B
B
May
sent
a
letter
to
the
Kentucky
federal
delegation
asking
for
Congress
to
take
a
number
of
actions.
They
included
additional
funding
for
shovel-ready
infrastructure
projects,
I
think
we
we
all
know
that
there
are
more
needs,
for
instance,
@ki
in
any
given
month
than
there
is
money
right.
So
you
know
additional
funding
to
help
get
some
of
these
projects
off
the
ground.
Some
additional
capital
would
be
very
helpful,
particularly
with
cash
flow.
B
Another
thing
that
the
Commission
wrote
was
allowing
water
districts,
water
associations,
row,
ledge
cooperatives,
those
with
federally
subsidized
or
federally
supported
loans
to
be
able
to
reprice
those
loans
at
lower
current
interest
rates.
That
would
be
an
immediate
cash
infusion
into
those
utilities,
really
help
out
with
cash
flow
and
ultimately
reduce
the
rates
the
customers
pay
and,
as
we
understand
it,
would
have
little
or
no
effect
on
the
federal
budget.
I.
Don't
as
we
understand
it,
they
don't
hedge
them,
they
don't
lock
the
rate
in
they
just
use
the
Treasury
or
the
backstop.
B
So
it's
not
like
there's
a
counter
transaction
at
the
higher
rate.
It
would
just
allow
them
to
get
the
lower
rate.
Will
Congress
create
a
lie,
heap
type
funding
program
for
water
utilities?
This
has
been
discussed.
Liheap
is
only
available
right
now
for
for
heating
or
for
cooling,
but
is
not
available
for
the
I'll
call
him
I
think
he's
the
president,
maybe
of
the
National
Association
of
water
companies,
Commissioner
Paulson,
who
I
think
has
appeared
before
this
task
force
last
year.
B
So
if,
if
they're
I
call
it
tear
time
in
time
for
good
with
to
your
stance,
we're
sorry,
but
basically
it's
a
version
of
debt
service
that
they'll
be
ignoring
the
metrics
for
2020.
So
if
they
were
going
to
fall
below
their
debt
covenants,
it
won't
count
against
them
for
this
year
for
their
two
out
of
three
year
average
and
so
I,
don't
think
we'll
see
a
lot
of
those
utilities
come
in
for
rate
cases,
but
we
may
see
a
number
of
smaller
utilities
come
in.
So
that's
all
I
have
for
the
presentation.
D
B
Force
may
appreciate
I
know
that
chairman
Schmidt
came
in
front
of
the
task
force
last
year
and
gave
a
short
presentation
about
the
reviews
of
small
utilities
that
the
Public
Service
Commission
was
going
through.
That
culminated
in
a
number
of
recommendations
in
case
number
20
1941,
the
Commission
is
trying
to
work
through
those.
One
of
those
recommendations
was
a
suggestion
whether
we
require
by
regulation
or
statute,
that
utilities
have
periodic
rate
cases,
or
at
least
periodic
rate
reviews
right
even
internally.
B
If
they
want
to,
you
know,
run
their
numbers
and
say:
are
our
rates
adequate,
but
also
our
our
is
our
rate
design
reflective
of
the
cost
to
serve
the
different
customer
classes
we
had
in
the
last
few
months,
I
would
say
maybe
seven
or
eight
months,
the
Commission
has
ordered
a
number
of
you,
small
water
districts
and
water
associations
to
foul
rate
cases
within
either
the
next
six
months
or
next
year.
I
think
it
now
somewhere
around
a
dozen
utilities
that
the
Commission
is
required
to
do
so.
B
Some
of
those
utilities
have
not
had
a
full
rate
review
in
front
of
the
Commission
since
the
Commission
started.
Keeping
these
records
in
1985
there's
at
least
two
that
have
not
had
a
list
of
great
review
since
1985,
and
so
the
Commission
is
taking
that
very
seriously
and
really
trying
to
take
some
of
what
we
find
to
be
the
local
pressure
on
right.
Nobody
wants.
B
None
of
these
people
that
are
on
a
water
district
board
want
to
raise
rates
I,
nobody
wants
to
pay
more
for
anything,
they
get,
but
sometimes
it's
necessary,
and
so
the
Commission-
and
this
is
just
an
observation-
is
effectively
taking
it
out
of
hands
of
the
water
board
and
order
the
utility
and
another
and
another
matter
to
come
in
for
a
rate
review.
And
if,
if
the
Commission
does
their
due
diligence
and
looks
at
the
rates
and
the
expenses
and
says
you
know,
your
rates
are
fine.
B
The
way
they
are
then,
then
there's
no
harm
right.
I
mean
they
have
that
peace
of
mind,
knowing
that
your
rates
are
fresh
and
they're,
not
gonna,
be
stale,
and
you
have
a
couple
more
years,
and
so
that's
been
interesting
to
see
that
there
are
a
number
that
had
not
been
in
since
1985
and
I.
Don't
want
to
age
myself,
but
I
was
not
alive
when
some
of
these
utilities
set
their
rates,
so
I'll
just
throw
it
out.
There.
B
The
inspections
last
thing
I
want
to
talk
about
was
the
the
gas
inspections.
The
our
gas
inspection
division
has
not
been
doing
a
lot
of
in-person
inspections.
We've
been
doing
some
construction
inspections,
maintaining
always
outdoors
maintaining
six
feet,
but
starting
in
the
next
month
or
two,
we
will
begin
those
gas
inspections.
Again.
B
You
know
programmatic
manuals
and
and
and
safety
requirements
and
their
programs,
and
they
follow
those.
Thankfully,
we've
been
able
to
do
a
lot
of
those
remotely,
and
that
may
be
something
that
we
look
at
doing
in
the
more
in
the
future
to
keep
people
from
having
to
go
through
the
expense
of
driving
to
Western
or
Eastern
Kentucky,
just
to
sit
down
to
review
manuals.
Maybe
that's
something
that
we
can
do
ahead
of
time
and
then
drop
out
and
do
the
in-person
inspections.
That's
all
I
have
for
the
presentation
today.
B
I
do
want
to
thank
for
thank
you
all
for
allowing
the
PSC
to
come
and
speak
with
you
and
let
you
know
that
if
there's
any
other
questions
that
maybe
I
didn't
address
today
or
can't
address
live
that
at
any
time.
Please
let
us
know
what
the
legislature
would
like
to
like
to
see
or
what
questions
you
have
and
we're
always
happy
to
work
with
everybody.
Thank.
A
C
Thank
You
mr.
chairman,
something
you've
discussed
here
today
and
I
mean
it
doesn't
necessarily
have
to
do
with
water
rates
alone,
but
I
think
also
just
the
subject
of
rate
increases.
Is
it
pertains
generally
to
all
utilities,
including
water?
That's
a
continual
complaint
that
I
get
is
the
ever
increasing
utility
rates.
B
B
Think
it
varies
so
it's
hard
to
say
and
here's
why?
So
there
is
a
statute
available
it's
to
78023
and
it
allows
a
utility
who
needs
to
get
a
certificate
of
public
convenience
and
necessity,
which
is
a
you
know,
basically
a
permit
that
says.
The
thing
we
need
to
build
is
in
the
public
convenience
and
the
PS.
You
should
let
us
do
it.
B
The
legislature
set
forth
this
statute
that
allows
smaller
utilities
who
get
some
sort
of
federal
funding
to
go
around
the
ordinary
CP,
C
n
processes,
and
when
it
when,
when
that
utility
comes
in
and
does
so
they
come
in,
they
present
the
project
within
30
days.
The
Commission
has
to
rule
on
it.
They
always
include
some
sort
of
infrastructure
project,
but
with
them
the
utility
is
allowed
to
increase
their
rates
commensurate
with
whatever
increase
is
necessary
to
cover
the
debt
service
for
that
for
that
infrastructure
project.
B
So
there
are
a
number
of
utilities
that
are
coming
in
at
any
given
time
that
are
technically
increasing
their
rates
for
those
infrastructure
projects,
but
in
addition
to
be
able
to
raise
the
rates
to
cover
that
debt,
service
or
depreciation
expense
for
that
new
project,
they're
also
allowed
to
include
the
increases
in
other
expenses
they've
had
since
their
rates
were
less
set.
So
you
know
if
somebody
was
maybe
cash
flow
negative
for
a
while
and
then
had
a
one
of
these
cases
they
could
bring
in.
C
Assume,
maybe
a
brief
follow-up.
Mr.
chairman
I
guess
part
of
the
issue
with
that
is
you
know,
I've
seen
in
my
own
district,
Martin
County
and
a
few
others
that
you
know
there
are
systems
on
the
verge
of
collapse
that
perhaps
haven't
really
had
much
of
a
review
in
20
or
30
years,
and
we're
talking
about
rate
increases
of
8090
I
think
sometimes
even
probably
a
hundred
percent
over
what
we
had
seen
previously
is
there
anything
that
the
Commission
is
able
to
do
in
order
to
soften
some
of
that
sticker
shock?
B
I
think
that,
from
reading
the
report
that
the
Commission
put
out
in
the
winter
I
believe
that
that's
the
basis
for
the
more
frequent
rate
reviews,
even
if
they're
not
necessarily
rate
cases,
but
either
utilities
doing
it
internally
or
coming
to
the
Commission
saying:
hey
we're
not
coming
for
a
rate
increase,
but
can
we
use
some
of
your
financial
analysis,
people
to
look
and
see
if
our
rates
are
adequate
right?
Can
you
can
you
keep
the
powers
for
us?
B
That
is
the
idea
behind
having
periodic
two
three
five-year
rate
reviews
or
even
annual
rate
reviews
or
two
three
five-year
rate
cases
is
that
you
reduce
the
amount
right
of
the
sticker
shock
and
a
single
increase.
But
you
also
are
investing
in
your
system
a
little
bit
at
a
time
incrementally,
and
you
don't
have
the
system
failures
that
some
of
the
utilities
that
have
stayed
out
of
review
for
so
long.
Have
it's
much
more
expensive.
If
you
wait
and
do
it
in
big
chunks
over
time,
you
will
spend
more
money
on
your
system.
B
Your
I
think
that
there's
a
misconception,
maybe
of
some
of
the
smaller
utilities
that
if
you
hold
on
our
rate,
increases
it's
better
for
people's
paycheck
and
in
the
long
term,
I,
don't
think
we've
seen
that
I
think
we've
seen
that
it.
Ultimately,
it
ultimately
results
in
higher
costs
for
customers.
If
people
don't
avail
themselves
of
that
ability
to
increase
their
rates
when
it's
actually
needed.
A
Of
information
and
things
that
have
to
be
compiled
to
be
able
to
you
know
present
someone
with
that,
and
sometimes
they
want
to
argue
that
that
we're
adding
cost
but
shouldn't
they.
Maybe
if
they're,
you
know,
you
know
a
small
Water
District,
it's
almost
like
they
have
the
physical
court
or
someone,
and
they
ought
to
be
collecting
this
data
anyway,
to
you
know
to
guess
someone
that's
overseeing
them,
rather
than
the
Public
Service
Commission
yeah.
B
You
know
it's
a
little
bit
about
self-help
right.
You've
got
to
have
a
board
that
that's
being
cognizant
of
the
needs
that
are
presented
before
it
in
terms
of
information
years
ago,
the
Public
Service
Commission
created,
what's
called
an
alternative
rate
filing
process
and
instead
of
you
take
a
Nalgene
EKU
case
only
use
them
because
they're,
the
largest
utilities
in
the
state,
their
rate
cases
the
amount
of
information
that
they
provide
at
the
outset.
B
In
an
application
it's
up
to
here,
I
mean
it's
a
lot
of
information
that
they
have
at
their
fingertips
and
they're
professionals,
and
they
have
the
ability
to
do
that.
The
commission
long
ago
understood
that
these
small
utilities
don't
have
that
right.
They
don't
have
that
those
skills
or
all
that
all
the
people
right
that
it
takes
to
do
that,
and
so
the
application
for
these
rate
reviews
is
actually
fairly
small
and
these
alternative
rate
filings
and
it's
actually
commissioned
staff
that
goes
out
to
the
utility
that
is
going
and
looking
for
this
information.
B
We
use
the
the
annual
reports
that
are
already
on
file
with
the
Commission,
and
that's
one
thing
that
that
we're
starting
to
try
to
push
our
staff
to
do
more
is
to
review
these
annual
reports
right,
because
they
should
show
at
least
to
a
certain
degree
where
the
utility
is
financially
to
be
able
to
say.
Do
we
need
to
bring
them
in
and
have
a
conversation
right?
Do
we
need
to
talk
to
them
in
another
case?
Are
they
financially
viable
as
they
are?
B
Do
we
need
to
wait
for
them
to
file
a
rate
case,
and
so
to
your
point,
chairman
I
think
that
I
think
that
would
be
nice.
If
people
looked
at
a
little
closer,
it's
the
Fiscal,
Court
or
the
judge
executives
looked
a
little
closer,
but
I
think
that
I
think
the
Public
Service
Commission
is
maybe
realizing
that
we
can't
wait
for
that
to
happen.
Necessarily
that
that
when
we
see
that
the
rates
aren't
fair,
the
service
isn't
adequate.
We
just
need
to
act
and
we
need
to
try
to
get
them
in
here
because
long
term.
A
I
think
that's
something
that
very
could
possibly
what
could
be
a
recommendation
that
this
task
force
is
that
you
know
that
we
see
more
of
that
and
because
it's
you
know
it's,
as
you
said,
this
is
pay
me
now
or
pay
me
later,
and
and
people
have
to
be
making
investments
in
their
system
to
maintain
them
or
whatever
or
you're
going
backwards,
and-
and
so
that's
that's
very
important.
One
of
the
other
things
you
mentioned
was
a
la
heat
program.
A
I
know
this
year,
I
think
it's
maybe
one
of
the
first
years
that
they're
actually
having
a
cooling
assist.
You
know,
assistance
and
I
think
that's
important,
especially
this
year.
When
so
many
people
are
not
working.
You
know
some
people
aren't
working
at
all
and
some
people
are,
you
know,
maybe
not
working,
full-time
or
whatever,
and
so
I
think
it's
much
needed,
and
but,
as
we
see
water
and
sewer
bills,
getting
so
works
much
more
expensive.
Now,
that's
something
that
probably
would
be
good
to
be
included.
B
Well,
I
want
to
thank
you
before
you
cut
me
off
Thank,
You
chairman
and
thank
you.
Co,
chairman
wheeler,
for
the
question,
certainly
and
and
I'd
be
happy
to
I'll
go
back
and
see
if
I
can
get
some
data
on
what
what
is
and
those
those
base
increases
for
particularly
small
water
and
utilities,
and
it
is
again
offer
ourselves
as
a
you
know,
as
a
resource
of
additional
questions
come
up.
B
Please
let
us
know
at
any
given
time
and
when
we
get
all
the
information
from
the
utilities,
we'll
try
to
compile
that
and
put
a
small
report
out,
even
probably
before
we
put
an
order
out
regarding
to
disconnections
the
moratorium.
Everything
else
in
the
commission's
report
and
we'll
share
that
with
this
task
force,
make.
A
Sure
it's
been
pleasure,
thank
you
and
look
forward
working
with
you.
Thank
you.
Next
I
think
we
have
on
the
agenda.
Anthony
had
an
issue:
the
Kentucky
Department
for
Environmental
Protection
and
also
Joey
a
Becker
who
the
water
infrastructure
branch,
gentlemen.
It
seems
like
Groundhog,
Day
I
think
we
were
just
here
last
Thursday
I
believe
it
was
yes,
sir.
Maybe
we'll
you'll
tell
us
something
different
today.
Welcome.
D
Thank
You
chairman
appreciate
that
again,
the
vision
of
water
really
appreciate
both
participation
in
the
past
for
sandblow
is
coming
before
you
today
to
share
the
information
about
our
Co
big
response.
Sorry
I'm,
not
sure,
we've
got
a
whole
lot
of
new
information
today,
although
we
are
taking
a
little
bit
more
narrow
focus.
Is
water
infrastructure
task
force?
So
we
will
be
highlighting
that
as
we
get
into
things
I'd
like
to
just.
D
Briefly
at
the
beginning,
here
about
the
cabinet's
response
to
go
bid
and
we
took
a
phase
approach
as
the
directive
from
the
governor
and
secretary
good.
You
know.
The
focus
essentially
was
on
essential
services
at
beginning,
particularly
with
operational
considerations
from
both
the
employees
here
in
the
cabinet,
as
well
as
the
utilities
that
we
regulate
and
help.
D
So
that
was
that
was
a
key
as
far
as
the
beginning
responses
and
really,
as
we've
moved
through
this
crisis,
working
with
the
operational
side
of
the
utilities
and
supporting
those
personnel
as
they
provide
the
services.
Those
citizens,
which
is
chairman,
pointed
out
as
an
essential
citizen
need
specifically
through
the
healthy
at
home
initiative.
D
We
have
tried
to
be
flexible,
be
a
directed
flexibility
with
regard
to
dealing
with
the
utilities
during
this
timeframe,
but
of
course,
we're
talking
about
drinking
water
and
and
wastewater
being
having
human
health
impacts.
So,
at
the
end
of
the
day,
we
have
to
be
mindful
of
the
fact
that
any
mistakes
or
non-compliance
could
be
impacting
human
health
in
the
environment,
so
that
is
always
has
been
and
will
be
a
forefront
mission
for
the
division
of
water
so
moving
forward,
particularly
with
the
water
and
wastewater
infrastructure
side
of
things.
D
As
this
as
this
committee
is
very
or
this
taskforce
is
very
aware,
there
was
a
lot
of
data
during
the
first
sessions
of
the
taskforce
about
exactly
where
our
infrastructure
is
what
makes
up
our
water
and
wastewater
infrastructure
and
kind
of
where
our
focus
has
been
over
the
course
of
better
than
probably
two
and
a
half
decades.
At
this
point,
we
have
seen
a
tremendous
success
in
regionalization
back
in
the
70s
early
80s,
we
had
probably
in
the
neighborhood
of
2,200
public.
D
Time
we
have
a
shade
over
430,
we
always
says,
take
kind
of
to
give
an
exact
number
but
432
or
so,
because
there
are
systems
that
come
online
or
go
offline
periodically,
but
we've
decreased
that
number
of
public
water
systems
by
about
81
percent
in
that
period
of
time
to
find
the
original
is
a
ssin
is
a
big
success
because
it
involves
a
better.
We
feel
like
more
trained
people,
running
utility,
better
resources
as
Kent
and
the
questions
just
came
out
in
the
testimony
earlier
today.
D
I
mean
it
is
important,
as
we
move
through
this
infrastructure
that
we
attempt
to
spread
out
cost
as
best
we
can
over
the
shoulders
of
many
ratepayers.
It's
always
easier
to
you
shoulder
the
expense
of
these
very
expensive
projects
to
replace
the
pipes,
pumps
and
plants
that
are
out
there.
So
that's
a
big
focus
on
the
wastewater
side,
again,
regionalization,
a
big,
a
big
thing.
D
But
you
know
we
built
that
over
the
course
of
the
last
again
since
the
70s
and
early
80s,
through
funding
mechanisms
like
a
special
appropriation
grant,
both
from
the
legislature
as
well
as
the
federal
government
and
the
Congress,
we
have
through
low
interest
loans,
if
that's
our
F,
as
well
as
through
coal,
severance
money
and
other
funding
mechanisms
that
today
are
more
scarce
than
they
were
previously,
but
we
have
done
a
great
job
of
building
that
infrastructure.
So
where
does
that
leave
us
moving
forward
with
challenges?
D
D
Delaying
the
ability
to
fund
those
locally
causes
a
big
problem
both
for
utility
managers,
as
well
as
the
Brady
increases
for
citizen.
So,
although
the
division
of
waters
focus
is
primarily
on
the
safe
drinking
water,
acting
Water
Act
compliance
side
of
things,
we
do
recognize
that
planning
and
things
like
that
are
the
way
that
we're
going
asset
management,
louder,
loss,
the
concept
of
water
loss.
All
those
things
are
important
with
regard
to
I
believe
the
chairman
mentioned
Martin
County.
D
You
know
there
are
still
a
number
of
challenges,
not
only
in
Martin
County
but
other
small
systems
with
regard
to
financing
those
those
maintenance
items
and
improving
the
capacity
of
those
systems,
because
as
these
systems,
age
and
move
forward,
more
leaks
develop
more
system.
More
things
deal
with
compliance
challenges.
D
At
the
end
of
the
day,
we
have
more
things
happen
from
a
negative
compliance
side
when
you're
not
managing
things
properly,
things
tend
to
manifest
themselves
with
more
violations
and
more
enforcement
orders
and
more
of
the
negative
side
of
our
business,
but
we
are
working
very
hard.
I
have
to
give
kudos
to
our
field
folks
into
the
drinking
water
folks,
but
as
far
as
those
system
assistance
we'll
talk
about
that
again
in
a
little
bit,
but
really
giving
them
kudos
for
working
with
those
utilities
on
the
operational
side.
D
D
The
agency
is
for
a
long
time
invested
in
electronic
resources
through
our
arm
system
or
what
used
to
be
called
tempo,
housing,
all
documentation
and
correspondence,
and
things
like
that
in
that
system,
making
modifications
and
that
system
more
accessible
is
one
of
the
key
things
that
we've
been
able
to
do.
I
can't
give
you
a
specific
percentage
of
people
who
participate
with
this
electronically,
but
I
would
say
very
largely
that
as
far
as
construction
permitting,
which
is
something
I'm
personally
responsible
for
we
accept
100,
almost
100%
at
this
point
plants
have
specifications
electronically.
D
You
know
one
of
the
things
that,
like
I,
said
that
I'd
like
to
point
out
is
and
I'll
need
to
move
greens
for
you.
If
you
were
to
follow
this
link
on
the
screen,
I'll
just
do
a
little
bit
of
magic
and
pull
up
the
website.
If
you
click
that
link
you'll,
get
to
the
division
of
waters,
coronavirus
guidance
and
for
drinking
water
away
our
systems
and
we're
particularly
proud
of
this
particular
story
map.
The
agency
does
a
lot
of
electronic
outreach.
D
This
was
very
key
in
helping
communicate
some
of
those
updates
to
us
but
and
to
get
those
out
to
the
utilities.
But
I
really
would
like
to
point
your
attention
to
something
that
has
been
huge,
and
that
is
how
we've
managed
our
drinking
water
operational
data
back
about
a
half
dozen
years
ago.
At
this
point,
the
division
implemented
electronic
means
for
submission
of
wastewater
compliance,
data,
your
Clean
Water
Act,
or
your
KP
DES,
permitting
data
has
been
submitted
electronically
to
the
agency
and
to
the
federal
government,
for,
like
I,
said
about
five
or
six
years.
D
At
this
point,
a
very
successful
program
reduces
the
burden
on
our
staff
to
enter
and
manage
the
data
and
gives
us
more
opportunity
to
analyze
that
data
for
the
drinking
water
systems
that
that,
because
the
way
the
rules
are
structured
and
because
of
the
way
the
federal
government's
data
system
is
has
been
more
of
a
challenge.
But
if
you
were
to
click
on
here
and
follow
the
link,
then
we'll
see
if
it's
going
to
come
up
here
for
us.
D
D
As
this
task
force
may
remember,
majority
of
the
drinking
water
violations
are
not
human
health
based
violations,
but
rather
reporting
and
monitoring
violations
that
are
issued
to
drinking
water
systems
and
we're
hopeful
that,
through
the
electronic
management
of
data
and
records
that
we
can
reduce
that
and
have
a
better
instance
of
compliance
for
things
that
are
really
more
in
some
ways:
more
procedural
in
nature
than
human
health
based
in
nature.
But
as
we
move
through
here,
just
some
more
basic
things
about
drinking
water
treatment,
continuity
of
operations
again
isolating
giving
advice
to
those
systems.
D
The
cabinet,
as
Kent
pointed
out
in
his
testimony.
The
cabinet
has
suspended
its
face-to-face
inspection
process
or
did
so
in
the
April
timeframe
and,
and
just
now
is
really
beginning.
We
have
plans
that
have
been
drafted
and
our
consideration
for
finalization
to
go
back
and
resume
those
normal
or
more
normal
operations,
still
with
the
caution
of
social
distancing
and
the
care
for
handling
and
inspecting
paper
documents
and
things
of
that
nature.
D
We
are
still
being
mindful
of
that.
But
those
are
things
that
we're
anxiously
intending
to
resume,
with
our
commitments
for
our
federal
grants
to
implement
the
clean
water
and
safe
drinking
water
act.
So
again,
I
guess
just
to
kind
of
wrap
up
to
you
before
we
maybe
get
to
questions
there
are
both
the
federal
government,
as
well
as
the
state
have
provided,
as
well
as
the
association's
AWWA
clean,
the
association,
clean
water
agencies
and
others,
as
well
as
they
drink.
D
The
water
association
all
have
provided
a
lot
of
technical
support
and
there
have
been
a
lot
of
collaboration
both
regionally
and
nationally,
as
we
look
at
issues
about
the
viability
of
testing
and
and
various
this
concerns
about
risk
and
exposure,
whether
it's
through
sludge
or
through
direct
contact
in
in
drinking
water
or
risk
associated
with
operator
contact
with
wastewater
that
may
or
may
not
be
contaminated.
All
those
things
trying
to
take
that
into
consideration
and
make
that
safe.
D
C
C
What
Joyce
said?
Oh
the
to
point
out
about
that,
the
drinking
water
form
that
we
developed
we're
not
patting
ourselves
on
the
back
at
all
the
one.
One
thing
that
really
did
it
seemed
like
a
small
thing.
Is
it
it
allowed
a
lot
of
small
drinking
water
systems
to
avoid
potential
future
regulatory
issues,
104th
the
federal
government
by
providing
a
way
for
them
to
get
their
data
in
which
they.
D
A
Online,
what's
the
question:
okay,
alright!
Well!
Thank
you.
I
think
that
this
is
our
very
first
meeting
and
we
appreciate
your
presentations
and
it's
going
to
take
us
a
while
I
guess
to
to
get
back
in
the
groove,
and
you
know
thinking
of
things
that
we
need
to
be
addressing
in
the
task
force
and
as
I
said
earlier,
we
certainly
appreciate
any
of
the
groups
that
had
worked
with
us
last
year
to
be
sure
and
reach
out
to
us
with
with
questions
or
things
that
you
would
like
to
see
us
address.
A
D
A
Okay,
we
just
need
that
know
if
she's
in
her
office
here
or
she's
doing
remotely
so
she's
in
her
office.
Okay,
all
right
great
great
again.
The
next
meeting
is
Monday
August,
the
10th
at
1:00
p.m.
so
and
obviously
we'll
be
in
this
room.
So
we
look
forward
to
everyone
sin
everyone,
then,
and
with
that
there's
no
other
businesses
come
from
the
community.
This
meetings
adjourned.
Thank
you.