Press Release

PUC Releases Management Efficiency Investigation Report for The York Water Company

Published on 3/15/2018

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today released a Management Efficiency Investigation report of The York Water Company evaluating the implementation of selected recommendations from a 2015 Focused Management and Operations Audit.

The Commission voted 5-0 to make the audit report and York Water’s Implementation Plan public. The report indicates that York Water has effectively or substantially implemented 10 of the 15 recommendations from a prior audit and has taken some action on the remaining five recommendations. In addition, the Commission’s Bureau of Audits has made eight follow-up recommendations for improvement.

  The Company achieved the following and more notable improvements:

• Implemented an automated customer call answering system that provides improved call reporting metrics.
• Added accounting safeguards to prevent possible cross subsidization between the Water Service Line Protection Program and regulated utility service.
• Reduced billing lag from a range of 5.6 to 9.5 days to a range of five to six days.
• Updated its Drought Contingency Plan.
• Developed manuals to document damage prevention practices and distribution valve inspections.
• Documented meter testing policies and procedures and electronically maintains meter records.
• Completed a customer satisfaction survey in 2015.
• Updated its human resources policies and procedures.
• Eliminated a manual and redundant time sheet data entry process.

 The auditors identified opportunities for further improvement, including:

• Updating the Emergency Response Plan and reviewing it annually.
• Adding contact information for law enforcement and national security related agencies’ cyber teams to the Cybersecurity Plan.
• Implementing physical security and safety improvements at the Company’s facilities.
• Striving to reduce or eliminate manual aspects of the inventory reordering process.
• Evaluating and documenting the cost benefits of integrating emergency stock within the Inventory Management System. 

York Water has accepted all of the follow-up recommendations. It has indicated it will implement the majority of the recommendations by October 2018, some with ongoing implementation. 

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 No.: D-2017-2606106

Contact:

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