IURC opt out survey

At Brown County Water Utility, Inc., we’re proud to serve over 5,800 customers with safe, reliable water. As part of our ongoing
efforts to reduce costs and improve service, we want to share an important issue we're considering—and hear your thoughts.
Right now, our utility is regulated by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), a state agency that oversees rates, charges,
and other utility matters. While the IURC's goal is to ensure fairness for both customers and utilities, the process is often expensive
and time-consuming. Unfortunately, those costs are ultimately passed on to our customers.
Indiana law allows smaller utilities, like ours, the option to withdraw—or "opt out"—from IURC regulation. Many similar-sized water
utilities across the state have already made this move to improve efficiency and reduce expenses. After careful review, your locally
elected Board of Directors believes this could be a positive step for Brown County Water Utility as well.
Here’s why: a typical rate case through the IURC can last several months and cost around $100,000. These funds would be better
spent directly improving our system and keeping rates as low as possible. We also believe that decisions made locally, by the people
who know our community best, will better serve you and your neighbors.
That said, this is your utility—and we want to hear from you.
 Please take a moment to let us know if you support our Board pursuing local control by
opting out of IURC regulation. You can return the survey to the office or respond online at https://s.surveyplanet.com/bt0puh8h.
We kindly ask for your reply by August 18, 2025.
If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can call us at 812-988-6611, email
cschmidt@browncountywater.com, or speak with any of our Board members directly. We’re here to help and are happy to explain
anything in more detail.
Thank you for your time and for being part of the Brown County Water Utility community.

Frequently asked questions about this are:
1. If the membership opts out of the IURC, can Brown County Water Utility, Inc. raise its
rates for any amount the directors want?
Answer: No. The Board of Directors will follow the same statutory procedure of
charging reasonable, fair and non-discriminatory rates for all users. This is the same
standard utilized by the IURC in evaluating current rate proposals.
2. Why would we want to opt out of the IURC?
Answer: Costs. Opting out would allow Brown County Water to reduce the costs of
preparing rate proposals and eliminate the control of those issues by a government
commission in Indianapolis.
3. Who benefits by opting out?
Answer: The membership. The Board of Directors of Brown County Water believes that
opting out will lead to lower costs in the rate process and allow the Directors to maintain
local control of the utility.
4. How many utilities have opted out of the IURC?
Answer: Of the 288 water utilities currently operating in Indiana, 240 have elected to opt
out of the IURC, per the IURC website.
5. What savings are anticipated by opting out of the IURC?
Answer: A utility should set aside approximately $25,000 a year just for the handling of a rate
petition before the IURC. The costs of handling a rate petition without an IURC filing is
approximately $2,000 a year. Thus, the savings is about $23,000 a year, plus the annual filing fee
to the IURC of $5,300, which totals $28,300 per year.
6. Does opting out of the IURC mean customers are no longer protected from unreasonable
rates?
Answer: NO. The Utility will still be required to file an Annual Report to the IURC. If at
any time the IURC determines the Utility is not acting in the best interest of the customer,
the IURC can retake jurisdiction over the Utility.