Name/Title
Newsletter, Utilities, Holiday Greeting, 2014Scope and Content
HOLIDAY GREETING FROM UTILITY STAFF
Proud to provide excellent service to the Waupun community!
Front Row: Randy Bentley, Meter/Maintenance Electrician; Owen VandeKolk, Journeyman Lineman; Todd Flegner, Journeyman Lineman; Nancy Oosterhouse, Mapping/Admin Coordinator; Jen Benson, Customer Billing Representative; Barb Armga, Accountant; Jenny Brown Customer Service Representative; Darren Brummond, Water/Sewer Maintenance;
Jared Oosterhouse, Finance Director; Steve Schramm, Water & Sewer Maint/Treatment Supervisor; Randy Posthuma, General Manager, Eric Kostecki, Energy Services Representative.
Back Row: Steve Brooks, Lead Journeyman/Lineman; Darren Sytsma, Treatment Facilities Foreman; Ben Russell; Craig Ruis, Water/Wastewater Treatment Operator, Chad Flegner, Journeyman Lineman; Matt Geschke, Water and Sewer Foreman; Dan Hopp, Water/Sewer Maintenance.
Portable Electric Space Heaters 101
Using a portable electric space heater is one of the most expensive ways to heat your home. At today's prices, electric heat costs up to four times as much per BTU as natural gas. You will not save money using an electric space heater unless you turn your central heating system (furnace or boiler) down many degrees and use a space heater to warm just a small area.
Cost to use:
For any electrical device, the cost per hour of use depends on the wattage of the device. A typical space heater:
Uses 1,500 watts
Produces 5,120 BTUs of heat per hour
Costs $0.16/hr (at $0.1095 per
kilowatt-hour) for 5,120 BTUs
A 90% efficient natural gas furnace will cost less than 5 cents to produce those same 5,120 BTUs of heat (at $0.76 per therm of natural gas).
Why are we supplying this information? Each year we receive questions about the effectiveness and cost of using space heaters. It is our goal to present accurate comparison information to our customers about this heat source which will increase your usage and your electric bill.
As a side note, whether you pay $30 or $300 for a space heater, if it uses 1,500 watts, you will get the same amount of heat and pay the same cost per hour of use. Beware of claims to cut your heating bill by up to 50%; if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Product research is your best bet to making an informed decision if you decide to purchase a portable electric space heater.
All electric space heaters carry a safety risk, and safety guidelines should be followed regarding desired use of a heater.
Be your own cost calculator and check out a portable energy meter at no charge from Waupun Utilities or the local library to measure how much electricity your space heater uses.
The electric crew continues progress on installing new equipment and upgrading existing equipment in our electric substations in order to complete a SCADA project budgeted for 2014.
SCADA, an acronym for supervisory control and data acquisition, allows the department to collect and evaluate real-time data that can be used for future growth and outage management.
The crew completed electric extension and service to Jimmy Johns and Lamers Bus Line.
The water and wastewater crew uses routine maintenance to keep valves, hydrants, and piping at optimum performance for day-to-day customer use and preparedness for emergencies.
Distribution system maintenance helps identify leaks and assets in need of repair or replacement. This adds up to cost savings and less service interruption to our customers.
Reminder: During winter weather, please keep hydrants at or near your property clear of snow.
PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS
If you are having financial difficulties and can't pay your bill in full, call us right away. We can help you set up a payment arrangement to spread your bill over an extended period of time. You can request a payment arrangement by calling 920-324-7920. Please do not email a request for a payment arrangement.
Payment arrangements take into consideration:
¨ Total amount owed
¨ Your payment history
• How long the bill has been past due
¨ Reasons your bill is past due
¨ Other relevant factors
If your income is limited, you may qualify for energy assistance. For more information call 1-866- HEAT WIS (432-8947) or visit http:// homeenergvp lus.wi .gov.
To avoid service disconnection, it is important you take care of your past due bills immediately or call us to schedule a payment arrangement.
If your service is disconnected, there is a charge for reconnection. There are no after-hour reconnections. If your service is disconnected, you may be required to pay a deposit to be reconnected depending on your payment history.
The rules for disconnection are set and regulated by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. You have the right to appeal to staff of the PSC if an agreement cannot be made concerning the reasons for disconnection or amount of your utility bill. The PSC can be reached at 1-800-2257729.
What if I am dependent on electric for health reasons?
If you or some one in your home is dependent on some type of electrically operated life support
equipment it is very important that you notify Waupun Utilities. We keep a list of these customers and will notify them in advance of any planned outages. Medical alert customers are our highest priority during planned and unplanned outages.
Please call 920-324-7920 to receive a form to be completed and place on the critical needs list the form requests information regarding the health condition along with a physician's signssture confirming the medical necessity.
As an added measure it is good to have an alternate plan for electric needs in the event of a lengthy unplanned outage due to a natural disaster
OFFICE: WEBSITE: GENERAL MANAGER
817 S. MADISON STREET www.waupunutilities.com Randy Posthuma
WAUPUN, WI 53963-0431 WATER & SEWER MAINT/
8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday UTILITY COMMISSIONERS: TREATMENT SUPERVISOR
William Buchholz, President
Office: 920-324-7920 Joe Heeringa Steve Schramm
FAX: 920-324-7922 Jeff Homan FINANCE DIRECTOR
Commission meetings are held Mike Johnson Jared Oosterhouse, CPA
the second Monday of each Pete Kaczmarski If you would like further information
month at 4:00 p.m., in the utility Ryan Mielke regarding this newsletter, please con-
conference room. Mike Thurmer tact us at 324-7920.Acquisition
Accession
2015.0500Source or Donor
Waupun Heritage MuseumAcquisition Method
Donation
