A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
January 28, 2009
2. Supply –
AV Ranchos water rates to rise this year
The Victorville Daily Press
Sanders: Water rationing likely by July 1
The
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AV Ranchos water rates to rise this year
Water bills to jump 18 percent for average users
The Victorville Daily Press – 1/27/09
By Brooke Edwards
APPLE VALLEY • In spite of an attempt by the Town Council to thwart the hike, Apple Valley Ranchos Water Co. customers will definitely see their bills go up this year — though the amount varies widely based on how much water consumers use.
The average customer will see a roughly 18 percent increase on their total bill, or an extra $21.50 every two months.
However, the less water customers use, the smaller the increase under the company’s new tiered system.
Those who are able to stay in the first tier will see their bill go up at most 11 percent, while a higher-end user in the third tier will see a minimum increase of 21 percent, or at least an extra $28 every two months.
“This is a way we’re hoping people will be motivated to conserve,” said Scott Weldy, general manager for the company.
The plan may already be working.
“I’m seriously looking at getting rid of all this grass,” said Skyline Ranch resident Robert Bonson after seeing the company’s new tier system.
This spring, Bonson plans to replace the lawn in his front yard — put in by the developer before he bought the house — with native desert landscaping. He also hopes to take advantage of the Mojave Water Agency’s Cash for Grass program to get up to $3,000 for removing large patches of grass.
Apple Valley Ranchos is actually the number one contributor to Cash for Grass, according to Joone Lopez, the water company’s assistant general manager.
Weldy said the increase was needed as the cost to operate the company and replace water rights have gone up, along with paying for programs to encourage conservation. He said the new rates came about after the company went through a strenuous case with the California Public Utilities Commission.
The Apple Valley Town Council tried to intervene during that process — to force the company to justify the increase by opening its books — but didn’t receive notice until the deadline to petition had passed, so was unsuccessful.
“I understand why they went down that road,” Weldy said. “It made sense for them to stick up for their constituents.”
The town is also trying to stick up for Golden State Water Co. customers, who are also facing a substantial increase.
Town spokeswoman Kathie Martin said
http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/water_10608___article.html/apple_year.html
Sanders: Water rationing likely by July 1
The
By Matthew T. Hall
The mandatory reduction would vary per household depending on a range of factors, mainly how much water is used for landscaping.
Sanders said residential and business customers alike would face “fairly significant penalties” for using too much water in the face of a drought and expected spring cutbacks by the city's wholesaler. He did not elaborate on what the penalties might be.
Water administrator Alex Ruiz said the city's rationing plan would try to take into account customers' historic conservation efforts and seek to distinguish between “discretionary” outdoor water uses and indoor uses such as cooking and cleaning. Sanders said few will welcome this.
“Setting those levels, you're never going to make everybody happy, and in fact, we'll probably upset everybody to some extent,” he said.
Public hearings consisting of city staff presentations and question-and-answer sessions are set for 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the following dates:
– Feb. 9 at Otay Mesa-Nestor branch library,
– Feb. 10 at Rancho Peñasquitos branch library,
- Feb. 12 at the
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jan/27/n78026151330-bn27water/
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