WEST VALLEY, AZ — Liberty Utilities customers have been left anxious for a second summer in a row.
This month, the water provider announced they were moving to Stage Two of what is known as a water curtailment tariff. The move comes less than a month after ABC15 reported on changes to that tariff, which is basically a curtailment plan.
One of the biggest changes, in Stage Three conserving water would no longer be voluntary.
“Now everything is mandatory in Stage Three, that you’re not watering outside except livestock,” Liberty customer John Connolly told ABC15 back in June.
Liberty services various communities throughout the West Valley, but we know customers in Litchfield Park and Goodyear north of I-10 received emails or calls that told them they were in Stage Two. Many of those same customers were plagued with water pressure issues last summer. The emails from Liberty Utilities asked customers to conserve.
“I am so happy to conserve, you know, cut back a little bit on water usage as much as possible,” said Liberty customer Linda Aubuchon. “We have done that. But two days a week in this heat, that’s kind of asking a lot.”
The City of Goodyear posted to its website that the change was due to Liberty having delays with a new well and one that was not working. Their webpage said the City is providing the company with extra water.
ABC15 did confirm that an interconnect between the City and Liberty had been turned on.
Liberty customers are still left worried about losing plants and that Stage Three could be around the corner.
“Yeah, I mean, to so abruptly, right away they’re putting us in Stage Two?” said Aubuchon. “And then, you know, it does it scares me.”
But the Mayor of Litchfield Park Thomas Schoaf posted a letter online that said, “There are other more drastic measures such as Stage 3, however those are unlikely to be reached short of a worst-case scenario.”
Arizona Corporation Commissioner Anna Tovar opened an investigation into Liberty last summer after ABC15’s reporting regarding pressure problems.
“There are more questions out there than there is answers from the company,” Commissioner Tovar told ABC15 Sept. of 2023.
Within the last few days, she sent a letter to the company requesting an explanation for the move to Stage Two.
Liberty, who recently received approval from the ACC to expand their future service area, told ABC15 that customers are their priority. They said the voluntary conservation will help protect the water supply during increased demand.
ABC15 asked customers what Liberty could do to help ease their concerns.
“Supply us with the proper amount of water,” said Aubuchon.
ABC15 has reached out to Liberty to ask about the information posted on Goodyear’s website and to verify which of their service areas are in Stage Two.
As we wait for a response, the company did tell our team they have yet to respond to Commissioner Tovar’s request.