Pahrump Utility Co. Inc. became the third local water provider to request a rate increase in the past year.

Tiered water usage rates to encourage conservation are now the norm for the three major providers in the Pahrump Valley.

Tim Hafen, whose company operates Pahrump Utility Co., said the legal notice published in Friday's Pahrump Valley Times was a little misleading.

A reference to a 149 percent increase in sewer rates includes a standby fee paid by developers waiting to develop property, he said.

The monthly service charge paid by residential sewer customers will increase 110 percent, from $21 per month to $44.13 under the proposal up for approval by the Public Utilities Commission.

A flat monthly service charge for water usage will go up from $8 per month to $10.

In addition, Hafen said the PUC encouraged the utility to go to a tiered rate system to encourage water conservation.

Instead of all customers paying 85 cents per 1,000 gallons of water, frugal customers using 6,000 gallons or less will pay $1.03 per 1,000 gallons.

The rate climbs to $1.67 per 1,000 gallons for the next tier of 6,000 to 12,000 gallons and rises further to $1.95 per 1,000 gallons for 12,000 to 18,000 gallons.

A rate of $2.54 per 1,000 gallons will be charged for using from 18,000 to 30,000 gallons and $2.82 per 1,000 gallons over that.

The average customer of Pahrump Utililty Co. uses about 9,000 gallons per month, Hafen said.

The old water rate for that customer would have been $15.65 per month -- including the $8 minimum water charge and $7.65 for 9,000 gallons at the rate of 85 cents per 1,000 gallons.

The new rate for someone using 9,000 gallons will be $21.19 -- the $10 minimum charge and $11.19 for the split fee per 1,000 gallons.

When the sewer bill is added -- assuming the average customer used 9,000 gallons of water per month -- the combined bill would rise from $36.65 to $65.32.

Pahrump Utility Co. serves 285 residential customers in new subdivisions in the southern part of the valley like Artesia, Concordia Homes of Southern Nevada and Beazer Homes.

Pahrump Utility Co. wants another $285,095 in sewer revenues, 149 percent over the current revenues, the filing states. The company wants an additional $271,738 in water revenues, a 238 percent increase.

A pre-hearing conference on the request will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 12 in hearing room A of the Public Utilities Commission at 101 Convention Center Drive, Suite 250, in Las Vegas.

Comments may be mailed to the PUC before noon Aug. 1.

Hafen said the new rates will make Pahrump Utility Co.'s rates closer to those charged by Utilities Inc. of Central Nevada.

The monthly base sewer rate for residential customers of Utilities Inc. recently rose from $23.60 to $44.13, the water bill for the average user of 14,000 gallons per month rose from $20.08 to $27.84.

Utilities Inc. previously charged 72 cents per 1,000 gallons in winter and 82 cents in the summer.

The new tiered rate charges the user of 8,000 gallons of water or less 99 cents per 1,000 gallons. Beyond that rates rise to $1.67 per 1,000 gallons on up to $2.54 per 1,000 gallons after 30,000 gallons.

Utilities Inc. is the largest water and sewer provider in Pahrump, with 6,890 water customers and 3,671 sewer accounts.

Nye County entered into an agreement with Utilities Inc. last December, asking the company to extend dead-end lines, put a cover over sewer ponds at Willow Creek golf course, provide a reasonable free allowance on extending water and sewer lines, and set up a board to hold quarterly meetings hearing customer complaints.

Desert Utilities Inc. received approval for a residential service charge of $7.50 per month, then a three-tiered water usage rate from $1.03 per 1,000 gallons for 7,000 gallons or less, to $1.95 per 1,000 gallons for a range from 7,000 gallons to 130,000 gallons.

Desert Utilities has 386 residential and 28 commercial accounts, in 2006 figures. It services an area mostly from Harris Farm Road to Bell Vista Avenue, west of Highway 160 to about Linda Street.