Water and Wastewater Utility Experience

CCN Decertification, Red Wolf Golf Resort, Houston, Texas. Dr. Harkins is the Project Manager for a large acreage petition for expedited release of a CCN. Dr. Harkins prepared the petition with all the required documentation for decertification to obtain service from an adjacent provider.

CCN Transfer and Amendment, City of Royce City, Texas. Dr. Harkins is currently the project manager to assist the City of Royse City to complete a complex transfer and purchase of service area rights, Dr. Harkins assisted with the CCN application, agreements, and mapping.

CCN Transfer and Amendment, City of Josephine, Texas. Dr. Harkins served as project manager for the transfer of assets and customers for the City of Josephine including the completion and prosecution of the appropriate CCN application.

Water and Wastewater Rate Study and Asset Inventory, Manvel, Texas. Dr. Harkins is currently the Project Manager for a growing development for the compilation of capital asset for a trending study for rate base determination.

Wholesale Rate Appeal, Mana, Texas. Dr. Harkins is currently an expert in a large wholesale rate appeal from an investor-owned utility. Dr. Harkins has completed a detailed asset study as well an affiliated interest determination.

Engineer V, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Austin, Texas. Dr. Harkins was a senior engineer for the Water Supply Division of the TCEQ for over four years. Dr. Harkins’ team processed over 300 certification applications a year and over 75 ratemaking applications per year.

Water and Wastewater Utility Inventory, Texas.  Dr. Harkins is currently the project manager for the development of a detailed water and wastewater utility asset inventory as well as completing a trending study to determine costs at installation as well as depreciation values used for rate making procedures.

Water Rate Analysis and Application, Cleburne, Texas.  Dr. Harkins is currently completing a water rate analysis as well as an asset inventory for the prosecution of a water rate application with the TCEQ for a multi-system public water utility. 

Water Rate Analysis, Granbury, Texas.  Dr. Harkins is currently providing professional engineering services to a private water company that serves potable water service to three subdivisions in Hood County, Texas.  Services include asset inventory, rate applications, and potential litigation support.

Expert Witness, Wholesale Rate Appeal, City of Gladewater, Texas. Dr. Harkins provided expert testimony related to a wholesale water and wastewater rate appeal. As a governmental entity, a rate may be changed without state approval. The water and/or wastewater recipient may file an appeal with the State for review. At such time, evidence must be provided that the rate is fair and justifiable. Dr. Harkins assisted in settlement negotiations through SOAH arbitration.

Expert Witness, Water and Sewer Rate and Tariff Change Application, Austin, Texas. Dr. Harkins provided expert witness testimony for the largest rate case filed with the State of Texas. The applicant provides service to 50,000 connections in the State of Texas. Dr. Harkins testified on the just and reasonability of the rates, the substantially similarity issues for consolidated systems, used and useful requirements for items to be included in rate base, basic rate design, and all discovery and other formal requirements of the application as it proceeded through the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

Water Rate and Tariff Change Application, Lake Whitney, Texas. Dr. was the project manager for a rate change application filed with the TCEQ for eleven water systems located in central Texas. Dr. Harkins’ was overall responsible for the creation and prosecution of the application as well as providing supporting documentation as required for the application. Dr. Harkins provided detailed information for the systems’ capital assets.

Expert Witness, Outside City Customer Appeal, Parker County, Texas. Dr. Harkins is currently retained by the Parker County Communities Coalition to provide professional engineering services as related to a rate increase made by the City of Willow Park. Dr. Harkins will provide a professional opinion on the reasonableness of the rates set for outside city customers as well as an opinion of the expenses used to determine the rate established.

Expert Witness, Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN), City of Royse City, Texas. Dr. Harkins was retained to assist the City of Royse City in a contested hearing related to the utility’s ability to provide continuous and adequate service and amend its current CCN for water service and to obtain a sewer CCN.

Expert Witness, Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, City of Prosper, Texas. Dr. Harkins was retained to provide expert witness testimony for the City of Prosper related to the City of Prosper’s CCN. Dr. Harkins has testified as to the City of Prosper’s ability to serve as well as address each of the required criteria to amend a CCN.

Expert Witness, Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, City of Midlothian, Texas. Dr. Harkins provided expert witness testimony for the City of Midlothian related to the City of Midlothian’s CCN and its service area.

Expert Witness, Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, East Medina County Special Utility District, Medina County, Texas. Dr. Harkins was retained to assist the District in a contested hearing related to the utility’s ability to provide continuous and adequate service and amend its current CCN for water service. Dr. Harkins testified as to the District’s ability to serve as well as address each of the required criteria to amend and obtain a CCN.

Expert Witness, Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, City of Midlothian, Texas, Dr. Harkins is currently retained by the City of Midlothian to prepare and prosecute a CCN amendment for a large development within the city’s corporate limits as well as address a potential cease and desist request.

Expert Witness, Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, Towns of Annetta, Annetta South, Annetta North, Hudson Oaks and Aledo, Texas. Dr. Harkins is currently retained by the Parker County Cities Coalition to provide professional engineering services as related to a sale, transfer, merger application made by the City of Willow Park.

Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, Houston, Texas. Dr. Harkins is currently retained by BCWK to complete a wastewater transfer, public water system transfer, and CCN cancellation for a privately owned water and wastewater system.

CCN Decertification, Keralla Development, Royse City, Texas. Dr. Harkins was the project manager for a large acreage petition for expedited release of a CCN. Dr. Harkins prepared the petition with all the required documentation for decertification to obtain service from an adjacent provider.

 CCN Amendment Application, Mission, Texas.  Dr. Harkins is currently providing professional consultation services for the City of Mission and its application to certificate additional wastewater service area. 

Water and Wastewater Service Extension Policy, Austin, Texas. Dr. Harkins made an in depth review of a water and wastewater supply corporation service extension policy with reference to the applicable rules and regulations of the TCEQ and made recommendations for changes and/or improvements.