DOCKET UW-970183 Page 1
BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION


In the Matter of the Request of )    DOCKET UW-970183
County Services, Inc. for Removal )
from Commission Regulation  )
   ) ORDER DENYING
   )    REQUEST
 )


  On October 12, 1996, County Services, Inc. (Company) requested to be removed 
from Commission regulation under the provisions of RCW 80.04.010.

  According to billing data submitted, the Company meets the statutory 
threshold necessary to request that the Company be removed from Commission 
regulation.  It currently serves 116 customers with average annual revenue per 
customer of $255.00. 
  
The Commission can remove the Company from regulation 
under the provisions of RCW 80.04.010.  The Company meets the statutory 
threshold established for removal from regulation.

The proposal to remove the Company from regulation is 
inconsistent with the public interest and should, therefore, be denied.  The 
public interest inconsistencies relate to (1) existing significant and 
extensive poor customer relations, (2) the likelihood that customer relations 
will deteriorate further, if this Company is removed from regulation, (3) 
Department of Health (DOH) and staff’s concerns regarding the Company’s 
unwillingness to commit to preparing a “Water System Plan” as required by DOH, 
and (4) the reality that if this Company is removed from regulation, rates 
could increase about $13.50 from a monthly average of $21.25 ($255.00 per year) 
to $34.83 ($418.00 per year), before the Company would become jurisdictional.  
The public interest requires that the Commission maintain continued regulation 
of this Company.

It is therefore ordered that County Services, Inc.’s 
petition to be removed from regulation by this Commission is denied.



  DATED and signed at Olympia, Washington, on this 9th day of April, 1997 and 
effective the 10th day of April, 1997.

WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION



      SHARON L. NELSON, Chairman


      
RICHARD HEMSTAD, Commissioner



WILLIAM R. GILLIS, Commissioner