Pine Mountain was put into a situation, a few years ago, to protect our water & sewer system from being sold and controlled by an outside source.  In order to maintain our own system – through the efforts of Glenn Cline and others, the process started to officially apply to become a Public Utility Company for Pine Mountain.

The following documents associated with Pine Mountain becoming a Public Utility Company listed below may or may not be in order.

• NC Utility Commission Docket No. W-1316
• NC Utility Commission Docket No. W-1316, Sub 0
• Public Staff Investigation Report
• Public Utility Commission – Part 1
• Public Utility Commission – Part 2
• Public Utility Docket W-1316, Sub 1 Decision
• PUC Orders 2013
• Utility Commission Filing

FY 2016-2017 became our ‘test year’ and the date the application had to be turned in to the Utilities Commission in Raleigh was June 26, 2018.  Unfortunately, due to the filing system – maintained within the PM POA Office over the years was preventing quick and easy verifications to the numbers submitted in a draft version for the test year.  Therefore an extension, for Public Utility Extension Aug 2018 was requested – and granted – to August 17, 2018.

As life on Pine Mountain would have it, we’ve had more setbacks preventing the submission of the application to occur in August.  Since then we’ve encountered two additional extensions.  Reasons?  We keep discovering neglected problems with our water system.  First it’s the deterioration of the Leaning Tower, now it’s the pumping system associated with our Twin Towers.  In fact, this is such a learning experience that we just learned that we’re only using water from one (1) of the Twin Towers… who knew?

Nothing has changed on our application because we’re still gathering cost estimates.  We will not accept the first offer that comes along.  We want the best deal with great results.

NC Rules that govern Water & Sewer:

• NCUC Rule 7-20 Utility’s Discontinuance of (Water) Service
• NCUC Rule 10-16 Utility’s Discontinuance of (Sewer) Service
• NCUC Rule 12-9 Uniform Billing Procedures

These rules are very specific on what to charge for finance and reconnection charges for water and sewer services.  Because Pine Mountain will have to follow these rules, the Board reviewed and approved a Pine Mountain Fees-Fines schedule on July 14, 2018 which will go into effect once the Utility Commission approves Pine Mountain becoming an official public utility company.

To view the Application form and it’s progress, go to:  PineMountainNC.com/Application.