Water and Sewer Utility Experience

Expert Witness, Wholesale Rate Appeal, City of Gladewater, Texas: HEI Staff 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.  Harkins Engineering, Inc. assisted in settlement negotiations through SOAH arbitration.   

Expert Witness, Water and Sewer Rate and Tariff Change Application, Austin, Texas:  HEI provided expert witness testimony for the largest rate case filed with the State of Texas.  The applicant provides service to 35,000 connections in the State of Texas.  Harkins Engineering, Inc. 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:  HEI was the project manager for a rate change application filed with the TCEQ for eleven water systems located in central Texas.  HEI is overall responsible for the creation and prosecution of the application as well as providing supporting documentation as required for the application.  Harkins Engineering, Inc. provided detailed information for the systems’ capital assets.  Harkins Engineering, Inc. will provide expert witness testimony as required.  

Expert Witness, Outside City Customer Appeal, Parker County, Texas: HEI 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.  Harkins Engineering, Inc. 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: HEI 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: HEI Staff has been retained to provide expert witness testimony for the City of Prosper related to the City of Prosper’s CCN.  Harkins Engineering, Inc. 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: HEI was retained to provide 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:  HEI Staff 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.  Harkins Engineering, Inc. 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: Harkins Engineering, Inc. 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: Harkins Engineering, Inc. 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, City of Italy: Harkins Engineering, Inc. was retained by the City of Italy to prepare and prosecute a CCN amendment for the city’s current service boundaries and corporate limits.

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