Open Letter to PSB |
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An open letter to members of the Public Service Board
The 2011 Far West Texas Water Plan revealed that Fort Bliss will stop producing water from their own wells and purchase 483,720 acre feet1 of water that otherwise would have gone to the Citizens of El Paso. Fort Bliss will pay $341 Million1 for the water and Citizens will pay $885 Million1 to replace it. The difference amounts to $544 Million.1
You were given a list of questions related to this matter on November 15, 2010.2 On November 18, 2008, you replied that the "utility will not answer any of the questions" and "The El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board and its staff will not expend any more time and resources on this matter." You stated that the wholesale contract with Fort Bliss and the "resting" of Fort Bliss water wells were "accomplished after a great deal of study and careful consideration of the best interest of the ratepayers of the utility."3 You did not provide a copy of the study or any details of the "careful consideration."
El Paso Citizens must be informed of your plans to supply water to Fort Bliss while the Fort "rests" its water wells for the next sixty years. You told Citizens to conserve water for their children's future. Now it appears that you plan to sell that water to Fort Bliss for $341 Million and then force our children to obtain water from another source at a cost of $885 Million. Please explain how your plan is in the "best interest of the ratepayers."
I ask you once again to answer the questions given to you on November 15, 2010. By refusing to answer the questions you leave the impression that you are hiding the truth from El Paso Citizens. Perhaps EPWU is not operated for the benefit of Citizens. Perhaps it is operated for the benefit of Fort Bliss, REDCO, The Chamber of Commerce and the Paso Del Norte Group.4 Perhaps the PSB fully intended to jeopardize the City water supply and force Citizens to pay $544 Million to subsidize Fort Bliss. Perhaps you are afraid that Citizens will rightfully refuse to pay the subsidy when they know the truth.
This is an opportunity to demonstrate that "El Paso Water Utilities is owned by the citizens of El Paso"5 and operated for their benefit; an opportunity to demonstrate that The Public Service Board is a transparent organization with no secrets; an opportunity to save $544 Million for El Paso Citizens or to prove me wrong. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain if you will simply answer the questions.
Sincerely,
Jimmy W. Janacek, Retired C.P.A.
