The Office of the Public Counsel has initiated a complaint case before the Missouri Public Service Commission against Central Rivers Wastewater Utility, Inc. Central Rivers is an investor-owned utility serving approximately 241 customers in Clinton, Clay and Ray counties. The company’s service areas include neighborhoods in Kearney, Liberty, Cameron, and Richmond, Missouri.
After a review of Central Rivers’ own books and records, Public Counsel alleges two counts against Central Rivers. First, Public Counsel alleges that, beginning in 2006, Central Rivers charged unauthorized fees to customers in excess of its Commission-approved tariffs.
Public Counsel alleges the amount customers were overcharged totals of at least $57,477. Second, Public Counsel alleges that, since the year 2000, Central Rivers has consistently and systematically failed to return customer deposits to eligible customers. Public Counsel alleges that the amount owed to customers with related interest is at least $23,208. Aggregating both counts, Public Counsel assesses potential damages to Central Rivers’ past and current customers of at least $80,685.
Particular service areas for Central Rivers are the communities of: Berkshire Glen, Fox Run, Private Gardens and Bar-B Acres/Park Estates in Kearney, MO; Wilmar in Liberty, MO; Country Hill Estates in Cameron, MO; and Countryside Meadows in Richmond, MO.
“Regardless of their size, our investor-owned utilities in Missouri owe a duty to their customers to provide safe, reliable and affordable service. Customers have no choice but to use the utility in their service area, and when investor-owned utilities charge their customers unapproved fees and wrongly fail to return customer deposits, they violate the trust of their customers and must be held accountable,” said Acting Public Counsel Dustin Allison. “The Office of the Public Counsel will work expeditiously to get this money back where it belongs, in the hands of customers.”
The Missouri Public Service Commission is the state agency charged with regulating investor-owned utilities in Missouri. The Office of the Public Counsel represents the interests of the public before the Commission and on appeal in the courts.