system, as well as to offset a portion of the effects
of water conservation and loss of local business.
Will using less water reduce my bill?
Yes. Using less remains the number one way customers can reduce their utility bill.
Does water conservation cause rates to
increase?
To a certain extent, water conservation can cause
rates to increase. Some of the utility’s costs are
“fixed.” Fixed costs exist regardless how much
water is used by customers. For example, painting
a water tower or repairing a water main. When
significantly fewer gallons of water are being sold
by the utility, fixed costs must be spread over a
smaller number of gallons, thereby causing an
increase in the cost per gallon. To minimize rate
increases, Cedarburg Light & Water continually
looks for ways to reduce its costs. Cost-saving
decisions and procedures are implemented and
staff size is decreased through attrition wherever
practical. Cost savings are achieved while
remaining mindful of the utility’s core purpose —
Exceptional service to the community at a
reasonable cost.
As a customer of Cedarburg Light & Water, you
can feel confident that “service” remains our most
important mission, not “profit.” Rates are based on
the cost of service, not the need to make profits for
outside investors.
Will you pay for the aeration system just
installed at one of the utility’s wells?
The aeration system recently installed at the
utility’s well on the corner of Wauwatosa and
Sherman Road will remove a contaminant, vinyl
chloride, from the water supply before it is
delivered to Cedarburg residents and businesses.
The approximate $900,000 incurred to install the
aeration system is not being included in rates at
this time since full reimbursement is being sought
by Cedarburg Light & Water from the parties responsible for the contamination.
6
How do Cedarburg’s WATER
rates compare?
Even after a change in rates, water bills in Cedarburg will remain very competitive as shown in the
chart below.
AVERAGE MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL
WATER BILL COMPARISON
Based on Monthly Water Usage of 4,700 gallons & 3/4” Meter
Using Rates in Effect as of November 2011
Hartford
What can you do to help
lower your electric and water
bill? How can we help?
One of the most important, immediate things you
can do to help lower your utility bill is to use energy
and water more efficiently and eliminate waste.
Doing so will preserve our non-replenishable
supply of natural resources, enable power
suppliers to avoid or delay building expensive new
power plants, lower exposure to the risk of costs
associated with new environmental regulation, and
avoid the need to drill more wells.
When it comes to saving energy and water, we’re
your local resource. Cedarburg Light & Water
offers a number of energy efficiency and conservation programs for customers to help you lower your
utility bills. For more information, stop in and see
us, call 262-375-7650, or visit our website. You
can also utilize resources available to you through
our participation in Focus on Energy. Learn more
about the Focus programs at focusonenergy.com
or call 800-762-7077.
Mequon
Port Washington
Meno. Falls
Cedarburg-w/3% incr
West Bend
Cedarburg-present
Jackson
Grafton
Germantown
The above calculations do not include “Public Fire Protection/Fire
Flow Capacity Charge.” In some communities, this is billed as part
of the water bill; while in others, it is part of the property tax bill.
The chart shown here illustrates how the “average”
residential customer’s water bill in Cedarburg
compares to the amount charged by other utilities
for the same usage. Rates in effect as of Nov 2011
were used on the chart except for the bar showing
Cedarburg’s 2012 cost, which includes the 3.27%
increase described.
If you would like to compare your own water
bill, based on your own usage, check out the bill
calculator provided on the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s website at http://psc.wi.gov.
Click on Water and then on Resources, Reports
and Tariffs.
7
We hope you have found this information helpful. If you have any question or
concerns, please give us a call or stop in
and see us. You may also contact the
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin at 608-266-3766 regarding the
pending water rate application.
ANNUAL
RATE UPDATE
While your monthly bill shows the rates
you pay for electricity and water, this
pamphlet provides additional information about your rates and any changes
that will occur in 2012.
If you have any questions about the
rates you pay, or if we can be of assistance in any other way, please feel free
to give us a call or stop in and see us.
We’re right here in Cedarburg.
INDEX
N30 W5926 Lincoln Blvd.
Cedarburg, WI 53012-0767
Phone: 262-375-7650
E-mail: [email protected]
 www.cedarburglightandwater.com
8
PAGE 2
About Cedarburg Light & Water
PAGE 2
What Your Electric Bill Pays For
PAGE 3
Electric Rates for 2012
PAGE 4
Electric Rate Comparisons
PAGE 5
What Your Water Bill Pays For
PAGE 5
Water Rates for 2012
PAGE 7
Water Rate Comparisons
PAGE 8
Lowering Your Bill
About Cedarburg
Light & Water
ELECTRIC Rates
for 2012
We’re very proud to have been providing utility services to the Cedarburg community for 110 years.
We’re not-for-profit, which means we work hard to
keep costs down while continuing to deliver reliable,
high-quality service for our customers. “Service” is
our mission, not the need to pay out-of-town stockholders. Rates are kept low and savings are
achieved in our community.
Will the electric rates you pay change in 2012?
Last year, Cedarburg consumers saved about $1.5
million in electric charges compared to rates paid in
surrounding communities such as Grafton, Port
Washington, West Bend and Milwaukee, helping to
strengthen our local economy. A payment made to the
City of Cedarburg by the utility of over $600,000 in lieu
of property taxes also helped reduce the local taxes
paid by residents and businesses, further strengthening our local economy.
What does your ELECTRIC
bill pay for?
75% pays for power generation & transmission.
Electricity is generated at various
locations in Wisconsin and delivered to Cedarburg over the statewide transmission system. Some
of the electricity is even generated outside of Wisconsin.
25% pays for operation of Cedarburg’s electric
utility and local distribution of power.
Once the electricity is delivered to
Cedarburg, Cedarburg Light &
Water Utility distributes the power
to you and your neighbors via
substations, poles and wires
located in Cedarburg. Cedarburg
Light & Water installs and maintains this equipment,
and bills and collects from local consumers.
25%
75%
Power
Generation and
Transmission
Operation and
Distribution in
Cedarburg
Power generation & transmission. Changes in power generation and transmission costs will
cause an approximate 1.3% increase on your electric bills in
2012. For the average residential customer (with a
monthly energy usage of 700 kilowatt-hours), this
means an extra $1.12 per month. Your increase will
be included in the line titled “Power Cost Adjustment” on your monthly bill, as this line item
covers fluctuations in power generation and transmission costs that are not already included in the
line titled “Energy Rate.” The actual amount of
increase will be influenced by a number of factors
such as individual usage, generating fuel prices
and weather.
Operation of Cedarburg’s electric utility and local distribution
of power. There will be no
changes in your electric rates as a
result of the cost to operate Cedarburg Light & Water and distribute power locally.
Why do power generation and transmission
costs increase?
Costs to generate electricity and maintain a reliable
transmission system have risen significantly since
2004 as a result of fuel cost increases, environmental regulations and a need to update power
plants and transmission equipment. Improvements
have helped to ensure an adequate and reliable
power supply for Wisconsin consumers, but yearly
increases averaging 6%* have been experienced
since 2004. Significant efforts have been made by
WPPI Energy, who the City of Cedarburg co-owns
with 50 other municipalities, to reduce the impact of
these rising costs on consumers. Cost increases
are starting to taper off now, and as described
above, in 2012 customers can expect an approximate increase of 1.3% on their total electric bill as a
result of changes in these costs.
How do Cedarburg’s ELECTRIC
rates compare?
Even with the increase in power generation and
transmission costs described for 2012, Cedarburg
Light & Water’s electric rates will remain lower or
very competitive with rates paid in surrounding
communities who get their electricity from other
utilities, as shown in the chart below.
AVERAGE MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL
ELECTRIC BILL COMPARISON
Based on Monthly Energy Usage of 700 kWh
and Avg. Cost from January 2011 - Sept 2011 Bill Dates
What does your WATER
bill pay for?
100% of your water bill covers costs to run
Cedarburg’s water utility and deliver safe water
to you via local wells, towers, reservoirs and
water main. Cedarburg Light & Water draws water
from five deep wells located throughout the
community, runs the water through a treatment
process and has it tested regularly to ensure public
safety. Water is stored in reservoirs and towers,
and is distributed to you and your neighbors at the
turn of a faucet. Cedarburg Light & Water installs
and maintains this equipment, and bills and collects from local consumers.
Madison Gas & Electric
We Energies*
WATER Rates
for 2012
Wis. Public Service
Wis. Power & Light
Cedarburg 2012 (w/1.3% Incr)
Cedarburg-present
Will the water rates you pay change in 2012?
Hartford
Northern States Power
* We Energies serves most of southeastern Wisconsin. Examples:
Grafton, Jackson, Milwaukee, Mequon, Port Washington & West Bend.
This chart illustrates how the “average” residential
customer’s bill in Cedarburg compares to the
amount charged by other utilities for the same
usage. Rates in effect Jan-Sept 2011 were used
on the chart except for the bar showing Cedarburg’s 2012 cost, which includes the 1.3% increase described.
If you would like to compare your own electric
bill, based on your own usage, check out the bill
calculator provided on the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s website at http://psc.wi.gov.
Click on Electric, and then on Consumer Issues.
Please note that the surrounding communities in
southeastern Wisconsin receive their electric service from We Energies, which is listed as Wisconsin Electric Power Company on the bill calculator.
Yes. A 3.27% increase in water rates has been
requested by Cedarburg Light & Water to be effective around January 1, 2012. If the Public Service
Commission of Wisconsin approves the utility’s
request, the proposed change would result in an
approximate $0.91 increase per month (including
fire flow capacity charge) for the average residential water customer using 4,700 gallons of water
per month. The actual amount of water used and
the size of the water meter installed on-site will
impact the rate change for each customer. The
Wisconsin Public Service Commission will determine the actual effect of changes in rates, and a
public hearing has been scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
on December 14 at the Cedarburg Light & Water
Utility building (N30 W5926 Lincoln Blvd., Cedarburg) and at the Public Service Commission of
Wisconsin (610 N. Whitney Way, Madison).
Why are Cedarburg’s water rates going to
increase?
The change in rates is necessary to offset inflationary costs of replacing and/or upgrading utility infrastructure and operating and maintaining the water
* Average annual increase of 6% based on overall wholesale cost increases to all
WPPI Energy member utilities
2
3
4
5