A settlement has already been agreed to between the Public Utilities Commission staff and Utilities Inc. of Central Nevada, but the hearing examiner Friday can still consider public comment.

PUC examiner Nancy Wenzel has scheduled a hearing for 10 a.m. Friday to consider an agreement by Nye County to withdraw from intervening in the rate case. It's scheduled to take place at 101 Convention Center Drive, Suite 250, hearing room A in Las Vegas.

The PUC already reached a settlement with Utilities Inc. and the Bureau of Consumer Protection has also withdrawn from the case, PUC assistant staff counsel Debrea Terwilliger said.

Normally, the hearing only involves those who are still parties of record, Terwilliger said. However Wenzel is obliged under the Nevada Open Meetings Act to accept public comment, meaning any residents wishing to complain can still get in their two cents worth.

Though the case has largely been settled, Terwilliger said the hearing examiner could still take into account consumer comments when making a recommendation to the full PUC board.

The rate increase was supposed to take effect Nov. 1, Terwilliger said. But the matter now won't be final until the Public Utilities Commission meets. The next regular PUC meetings are scheduled Nov. 28 and Dec. 19, but agendas for those meetings haven't been posted yet.

"She still has the opportunity or not to accept the stipulations," Terwilliger said, "with the idea there's been settlements reached."

A consumer session was held April 24 at Mountain Falls Golf Club on the rate increase, but in light of little publicity, only 11 people gave testimony.

Utilities Inc., in its first rate increase request since taking over Central Nevada Utilities Corporation in 2001, is proposing an increase in the monthly sewer base rate from $23.60 for most residential connections to $44.13.

Water rates would be designed to encourage water conservation. Customers using 8,000 gallons or less would pay 99 cents per 1,000 gallons. After that, the cost rises to $1.67 per 1,000 gallons. Those using more than 30,000 gallons per month would pay $2.54 per 1,000 gallons. The average customer uses 14,000 gallons per month, meaning the higher water fee would translate to an increase in the monthly water bill from $20.68 to $24.82.

Nye County agreed to a settlement in which the county would withdraw its protest, but it didn't involve the actual rates. The county asked for Utilities Inc. to extend some water lines to prevent dead end connections, hold quarterly meetings to discuss any concerns and rectify problems with odors at the sewer plant on Willow Creek golf course.