Issued: September 5, 2025
By: Administrative Law Judge Eric Yoon
Docket: 58124 – Aqua Texas, Inc. Application to Change Rates
Key Rulings:
- Intervention Deadline Denied:
Aqua Texas requested that the Commission set an intervention deadline of August 4, 2025, based on the 45-day window from its June 20 application. The ALJ denied this request, citing that the application is still administratively incomplete and notice has not been deemed sufficient. Therefore, setting a deadline would be premature and inappropriate. - Running Objection Denied:
Aqua Texas also sought a blanket “running objection” to all late-filed interventions. The ALJ rejected this, stating that Aqua must respond to each intervention request individually, not with a blanket objection. - Interventions Granted:
The ALJ granted intervention status to over 35 individuals who filed between August 11 and August 19, 2025. These include residents from various Aqua Texas service areas who filed after the proposed deadline.
Implications:
- The ruling keeps the case open to new intervenors, allowing more ratepayers to formally join and challenge Aqua’s proposed rate increases.
- It reinforces procedural fairness and transparency, aligning with objections raised by the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC) and echoed in the Fair Water Texas intervenors’ letter filed the day prior.