Press Release

PUC Audit Makes Management Recommendations to Superior Water Co.

Published on 12/5/2013

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

HARRISBURG –The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today released a report on the Focused Management and Operations Audit of Superior Water Co. (Superior Water).

The Commission voted 5-0 to make the audit report and the company’s Implementation Plan public.  The Focused Management and Operations Audit analyzed and evaluated management performance in six functional areas. The audit was conducted by the PUC’s Bureau of Audits Staff.

The audit report makes 11 recommendations to the company for improvement. The Company indicated acceptance of nine recommendations in its Implementation Plan and partial acceptance of two.

The audit recommendations that Superior Water accepted or partially accepted include:

• Revise and/or update documented policies and procedures to reflect actual practices and identify undocumented practices and develop policies and procedures;
• Obtain and maintain periodic written cost justification for ongoing services such as legal, accounting, insurance, etc.;
• Develop a central file to maintain historical main break and leak information and use this data to update the distribution maps to facilitate informed future infrastructure repair and replace decisions;
• Create and maintain a database tracking Backflow Prevention devices and ensure that the devices for high risk commercial customers are tested annually;
• Test and update Emergency Preparedness Plans on a regular basis to include new business practices the Company has adopted; and
• Conduct a compensation study that, at a minimum, compares Superior Water Co.’s management level employees’ total compensation to the compensation of comparable employees at similar sized utilities, adjust compensation as appropriate, and periodically repeat these efforts.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

For recent news releases and video of select Commission proceedings or more information about the PUC, visit our website at www.puc.pa.gov. Follow the PUC on Twitter – @PA_PUC for all things utility. “Like” PAPowerSwitch on Facebook for easy access to information on electric shopping.

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Docket Number D-2013-2346232

Contact:

• Denise McCracken
  Senior Communications Specialist
  717-787-5722
  demccracken@pa.gov