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Corporation Commission Allows Limited Amount Of New Hookups In Johnson Utilities Service Area

The Arizona Corporation Commission is allowing a limited amount of new water and sewage hookups in the Johnson Utilities service area. 

The commission put a pause on new hookups in October to assess the potential impact on those areas.

EPCOR was appointed as an interim manager for the East Valley communities in July after customers complained of sewage overflows and low water pressure.

After meeting with members of the community, the interim manager and home builders, Commissioner Justin Olson said construction would be allowed to move forward where there is capacity.

“And where there’s not, we have the right balance of only allowing new meters at the rate that capacity can account for,” Olson said.

On Thursday, the commission voted to allow no more than 28 new homes to connect to the beleaguered water system. 

Olson says the decision was a compromise.

“Folks in the development community hope to be able to have more meters each month than the number that was agreed to, but everybody in the community recognized the gravity of the situation,” he said.

The commission will allow exceptions for anyone that already has a contract to purchase a home.

Olson said exceptions would also be made for any public safety needs.

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Jimmy Jenkins was a producer and senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2014 to 2021.