Island Park Water Company facing $434,000 in fines for multiple violations, officials say

ISLAND PARK — The Island Park Water Company is being fined $434,000 for allegedly failing to provide residents with safe, reliable and adequate service.

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission cites several other citations against the company in a news release. Among them are improperly billing customers, retaliating against customers who contacted the utility with concerns and failing to respond to requests from the commission for records.

Island Park Water Company, which is not affiliated with the City of Island Park, serves more than 300 customers in Fremont County. It operates seven water systems in the Island Park area, several of which have been under boil water orders or boil water advisories over the past several months.

RELATED | DEQ issues boil advisory for subdivision in Island Park

Most recently, the Department of Environmental Quality issued a boil water order for the Valley View, Goose Bay Estates and Aspen Ridge subdivisions after water tested positive for E. Coli in May. Shotgun North and Shotgun Kickapoo subdivisions were placed on a boil water advisory at the beginning of May as well. The DEQ currently has its own ongoing investigation into Island Park Water Company, according to public records.

RELATED | E. coli found in Island Park subdivision’s water, DEQ issues boil order

In late March, customers testifying at a hearing reportedly said that Island Park Water Company demanded additional payments to maintain water service, charged them for prior owner’s bills and failed to make repairs. Some of the complaints are noted below:

• “We have been double-billed a few times and reported a constant leak at a neighbor’s main shut off valve and nothing was done by the company.”
• “Throughout all summer last year (2022), our water smelled so horrible that we did not want to use it.”
• “I have four clients that have been overcharged, charged for no water connection and paid.”
• “My parents were overcharged for water … I paid the outstanding balance.”
• “It has been a nightmare regarding water, so I have bought jugs and bottles of water for personal use on many of my trips to the cabin.”
• “For at least the last eight years I have been billed incorrectly and threatened to have my water turned off.

The commission says customers have “suffered through multiple extended outages, contaminated water and the company’s failure to keep its customers informed about their services, amongst other problems.”

EastIdahoNews.com made multiple attempts to contact Island Park Water Company, but did not get a response.

Island Park Water Company has been ordered to either pay the fine or prove it has corrected each of the violations within 21 days. Otherwise, they may not be allowed to operate.

The commission says any consequences it could impose would “pale in comparison” to the liability the utility could face if it doesn’t fix the issues.