DOCKET UW-981518 and UW-990263 Page 1
 
BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

In the Matter of Tariff Revisions  ) DOCKETS  UW-981518  and 
and the Requested Waiver of  )          UW-990263
Statutory Notice in Connection  )
with the Tariff Revisions Filed by  ) ORDER DISMISSING 
Gamble Bay Water, Inc.   ) COMPLAINT AND ORDER 
      ) SUSPENDING TARIFF REVISIONS
      ) AND GRANTING LESS
  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . ) THAN STATUTORY NOTICE

  On March 3, 1999, Gamble Bay Water, Inc., filed with the Commission revisions 
to its currently effective Tariff WN U-2, designated as: 

  Third Revision Sheet No. 2
  Canceling
  Second Revision Sheet No. 2

  and

  Original Sheet No. 34.

  The tariff sheets bear inserted effective dates of April 3, 1999.  This date 
recognizes statutory notice as required.  The company requests, however, that 
statutory notice be waived and that the revisions become effective March 11, 
1999. Gamble Bay Water is seeking Less Than Statutory Notice (LSN) treatment to 
coincide with building season and developer requests for connections.

  The tariff revision will add a Facilities Charge for residential customers 
served on the Vincent Road, Bucklin Hill water systems or any system extension 
served by these water systems.  Gamble Bay serves approximately 250 customers 
located on 13 water systems on Bainbridge Island and near Poulsbo.

  This tariff revision provides for Gamble Bay to establish a facilities charge 
(Schedule No. 11) to the Bucklin and Vincent Road potential customers for a 
portion of the upgrade cost.  The total cost of upgrades and improvements is 
estimated at $344,000.  Facilities charge monies will be used to fund about 
$203,500.

  The facilities charge monies will be used to repay a projected loan the 
company has applied for.  The loan is administered by the Washington State 
Public Works Board - Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program.  This program 
provides low interest, long term loans for public works projects.

  Monies from a loan will be used to acquire a tank site, construct a 100,000 
gallon reservoir and to intertie the Bucklin water system and the Vincent Road 
water system.  Vincent Road water system is located near Kitsap County 
Landfill.  The sole source of water for this system is having problems with 
testing results.  The system is designed for nine (9) connections and is 
currently at capacity.  However, the system has water rights for up to 31 
connections.  Gamble Bay intends to intertie the two systems (resolving water 
quality issues) and transfer water rights to the Bucklin water system. By this 
transfer of water rights the company could fully utilize the 31 connection 
capacity.

  Customer notice was not provided for this rate filing as potential applicants 
or customers are unknown.

 Facilities Charge    Current  Proposed 

Facilities Charge - Schedule No. 11      ---   $2,600


  The facilities charge amount would be treated as Contribution in Aid of 
Construction and would be deducted from future rate base calculations.  
Additionally, the company would provide quarterly reporting of funds received 
and monies spent for the system upgrades and improvements.

  This filing is in conjunction with a new definition of the company's service 
area.  The service area is being defined as only those customers that the 
company is currently providing water.  This definition is consistent with 
Commission Service Area as defined in WAC 480-110-021 (6).  The facilities 
charge would then apply to any new customer connecting to the Vincent Road and 
Bucklin water systems or any system extension served by these water systems and 
owned by Gamble Bay.

  Since the tariff revisions filed herein are fair, just and reasonable, and 
waiver of statutory notice is not inconsistent with the public interest, it is 
deemed appropriate that the company be granted the waiver it is requesting with 
an effective date of March 11, 1999.

FINDINGS

  After careful examination of the tariff revisions filed herein by Gamble Bay 
Water, Inc., March 3, 1999, and giving consideration to all relevant matters 
and for good cause shown, the Commission finds that the tariff revisions should 
become effective March 11, 1999.

O R D E R

  THE COMMISSION THEREFORE ORDERS:

  1. The Complaint and Order Suspending Tariff Revision in Docket UW-981517, 
dated December 23, 1998, is dismissed.


  2. The requested waiver of statutory notice in connection with the tariff 
revisions filed herein by Gamble Bay Water, Inc., March 3, 1999, is granted, 
and said tariff revisions shall become effective March 11, 1999.

  3. Gamble Bay Water, Inc., shall forward copies of Facilities Charge 
Quarterly Report in the form provided by water section staff to water section 
staff on  a quarterly basis.  This reporting shall start with the quarter 
ending June 30, 1999. Reporting shall continue until the company is notified by 
Commission staff letter that the reports are no longer required.  Reports shall 
be forwarded within 30 days of the quarter ending.

  DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 10th day of 
March, 1999.

  WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION




      MARILYN SHOWALTER, Chairwoman




      RICHARD HEMSTAD, Commissioner




      WILLIAM R. GILLIS, Commissioner