News

A night-time detour on northbound Interstate 19 in Tubac was scheduled to begin Tuesday, March 9, for construction. Spanning three lanes, a hefty metal rain and shade canopy is slated to be installed from March 9-22. The canopy has been described as about 100 feet in depth and 115 feet in width.

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The Baca Float Coalition is hosting a Town Hall Meeting to bring the community up to date on the Palo Parado road and bridge project.

Town Hall Meeting on Palo Parado
Wednesday, March 17 at 6:00 pm
Rio Rico Community Center
391 Avenida Coatimundi (next to the fitness center)

The purpose is to inform residents on Palo Parado, the current project and the proposed road and bridge project. County Manager Greg Lucero and Leonard Fontes of CPE consultants will provide information on County efforts and what the project requires to carry it to completion.

Representatives of Congressman Grijalva and Congresswoman Giffords offices will be in attendance and explain the process for funding requests and the efforts of our representatives to obtain the necessary Federal funding to complete this important public works project. Their efforts are vital to our success in getting these funds for the county to move forward with the long promised bridge for public safety, economic benefit to residents, the school district, and businesses.

Everyone is invited to attend, learn and ask questions.

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It takes time to build a road from the ground up.

Crews from the Santa Cruz County Public Works Department began building 750 feet of road at the Palo Parado crossing in Rio Rico on Jan. 25 and expect to finish by April 1.

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Palo Parado

A hearing is set for Wednesday, March 10, by the Arizona Corporation Commission on a request by Liberty Water, to double its rates for Rio Rico customers.

Martin Garlant, operations manager for the firm, said the increase will actually be about 98 percent.

The application to the ACC, however, outlines a 111.36 percent hike to water rates based on an average usage of 8,548 gallons. The rate, according to a summary, would climb to $42.17 per month from the current $19.94.

Sewer rates for single-family residential structures, meantime, would be reduced by $2.71 from $56.36 to $53.65. Most Rio Rico residences, however, have septic systems and are not connected to the Liberty Water sewer lines.

Rudy Molera, Santa Cruz County supervisor, whose district represents the southwest side of Rio Rico, said he plans to introduce a resolution this week opposing the rate increase.

On Friday, he hosted a meeting at the county complex attended by about 40 persons. Garlant presented the company's position. Residents received instructions and forms on how to comment to the ACC about the rates.

"I plan to ask Commissioner Paul Newman to have the hearing in Rio Rico if it's not too late to make the change," Molera said.

In August 2008, the company, owned by Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp., consolidated 18 water and wastewater companies in Arizona, Texas and Missouri under the name of Liberty Water, including the one formerly known as Rio Rico Utilities.

That same month, the Nogales International interviewed Garlant who announced that the company would be seeking rate increases to help pay for capital improvements. In November last year, Liberty Water sent notices along with water bills to its customers.

Countering allegations that the rate increase is to subsidize the purchase of the system, Garlant said the utility company has not changed hands since it was purchased from Citizens Utilities Co., in 1993.

Responding to criticism that the company chose the worst economic times to implement a rate hike, Garlant said, "We understand because we are also affected by that economic downturn and that is why we have applied to the ACC for a low-income tariff program to assist customers experiencing financial hardships," he said.

The company has invested $8.1 million into the system, Garlant said, including about $350,000 into the sewer system.

The improvements have included the renovation of three water plants to improve service and fire-flow capabilities; drilling new wells capable of producing about 3 million gallons of water per day; the installation of new piping underneath Interstate 19 to boost services to customers in southwest Rio Rico; and the renovation of an existing water well, including the replacement of the pump, motor and controls.

Among the improvements to the wastewater system was the installation of four lift stations to channel the sewage to the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

"We have replaced equipment that is 25-years to 30-years old and at the end of its life," Garlant said.

"These assets had to be replaced. The company is not allowed to apply for an increase to make capital investments," he said. "We first must make the investments and then apply for rate increases."

"We have done our best to provide top-notch service to our customers," Garlant said. "We have even received awards from the Arizona Water Association for the quality and stability of the system. These are water and wastewater professionals."

The company received the awards in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

The company was created in 1993 with assets purchased from Citizens Utilities. Since then, they have applied for two rate increases in 1995 and in 2003. This would be the third.

The ACC comprises five elected commissioners and has the responsibility to ensure that rates provide the utility company recovery of its operating expenses and a fair rate of return.

The March 10 meeting is open to the public and will be in Tucson at the ACC office in Room 222 at 400 W. Congress St. Comments will be heard at the beginning of the first day of the hearing.

Comments may also be submitted to the commissioners prior to March 10, at Arizona Corporation Commission, Consumer Services Section, 1200 W. Washington, Phoenix, Ariz., 85007, reference Docket No. WS-02676A-09-0275.

E-mail comments to the ACC at www.azcc.gov.

By Manuel C. Coppola, Nogales International

Read related article by a concerned Rio Rico resident here.

In time for spring picnics and Easter Sunday barbeques, Pena Blanca Lake is again open to the public after the lake bottom soil was cleaned of contaminants.

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A new fire station in northeast Rio Rico is expected to be completed by the end of February.

The Tubac Fire District's Station No. 3 is at 333 Camino Josephina, 3.3 miles east of Pendleton Drive. Presently, the fire and medical responders are working out of a rented home in the area. A grand opening for the fire station will be held in early March, Tubac Fire Chief Kevin Keeley said.

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Arizona Senate and House leaders praised the proposed Rosemont Copper mine as "a tremendous economic opportunity" in a letter to a federal official this week, saying they were writing "on behalf of the Arizona State Senate and House of Representatives."

But after a day filled with criticism from Southern Arizona lawmakers, they backpedaled, saying the issue was "not as simple as we first thought."

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On March 10, 2010 at 10:00 AM, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) will hold a hearing regarding Liberty Water's (formerly Rio Rico Utilities, Inc.) request for a 111.36% rate increase for all water customers within the utility.

If the ACC approves this 111.36% increase in water rates, customers of Liberty Water will see their bills more than double.

Rio Rico water customers have an opportunity to shares their views about the proposed rate increase by contacting the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Karen Rogers, a Rio Rico resident has provided a background on this issue and has listed some methods for users to contest the rate increase. Read her article on the VIEWS page here.

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A bill that would withdraw most federal land in Southern Arizona from future mining claims won support Thursday at a congressional hearing from several federal agencies and numerous Southern Arizona residents, including FICO co-owner Nan Walden of Sahuarita.

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Pima County officials have told Asarco it must explain by Jan. 27 how it will prevent future dust violations at the Mission Mine complex after denying the mine's request for a 30-day delay.

The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality on Dec. 23 issued Asarco a violation notice for a Nov. 12 dust storm and on Dec. 31 issued another for a similar Dec. 22 incident that covered much of Rancho Resort in gray dust.

The problems occurred during construction work to increase the height of the mound of tailings, a powdery residue left by the mining process. The top of the mound was left dry and high winds whipped up dust.

Each county notice required a response within 30 days that would explain what corrective action would be taken.

On Friday, S. Scott Porter, enforcement manager for Pima County Department of Environmental Quality, sent a letter to Asarco's Senior Environmental Manager Arturo Burgos at the Mission Complex saying, "due to the seriousness of the violations and PDEQ's duty to address the regulatory compliance-related issues as expeditiously as possible, your request is denied."

That means Asarco must explain by Jan. 27 what corrective action it will take for the Nov. 12 dust storm and by Feb. 6 for the later episode.

Asarco's Burgos, in a letter dated Jan. 8, requested a 30-day delay because the two incidents involve "substantially identically situations and allegations" and because it would give the mine more time to bring in outside assistance and evaluate new ideas for feasibility and to ensure they have no other adverse environmental consequences.

Burgos wrote that finding measures to address the combination of increasing the height of the mine tailing dam and high winds cannot be completed by Jan. 22, noting that "tailing dust management is a complex matter without easy solutions that are technically and financially viable and that avoid other equally undesirable environmental consequences."

By Philip Franchine, Green Valley News

pfranchine@gvnews.com | 547-9738