BY ELLEN WALTON
Los Alamos

Utility rate increases have affected many, and we often feel like the County steps into our lives whenever and however they choose without regard to effect on us.  I wrote the following to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to let them know that I was not happy as a customer today and would like to share with others.  

Letter sent August 4 to BPU:

Dear Board of Public Utilities,

This morning, Sunday, August 4, a Department of Public Utilities crew with several pieces of large and loud machinery, including a jack hammer, giant vacuum, dump truck and digger, started working in front of our house in Quemazon.  When I called in to ask about the work, I was told it was non-emergency, planned work to update the water line and that the work was incurring overtime pay due to its occurrence on a Sunday. 

We never received a courtesy notice from the DPU informing us that major planned work would occur within 25 feet of our front door, and we were greatly affected.

I have two questions: 1. Why were such overtime hours approved for a regular, non-emergency project, and 2. Why were affected customers not informed ahead of the work?  Rate payers like me respect the hard work it takes to maintain and upgrade utilities, but I want to be informed of work happening and also do not want to subsidize overtime pay unnecessarily for projects that could happen on regular time. 

Thank you for your time and service on the BPU, and I look forward to your response.

Respectfully,

Ellen Walton, Los Alamos