Possible Water Rate Hike
San Andreas, CA – A budget review has prompted the Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) to propose a water rate hike for its customers. The increase will take place over five years and effect both residential and commercial customers. Customers could see their bill jump each month by $11 for tap use and $10 for sewer in the first year. That is a total of $21 a month or $252 for the year.
CCWD Board of Directors President Dennis Dooley says “After years of extensive use, much of the District’s water and wastewater infrastructure has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced to avoid costly emergency repairs and State regulatory fines.”
The District cites capital improvement costs as the major reason for the rate changes. The rate hike will pay for repairs and the replacement of existing water and wastewater infrastructure. It will also fund State mandated multi-million dollar upgrade to the District’s Copper Cove Wastewater Treatment Facility, as well as, operations, maintenance, and debt service over the next five years.
The District says it has already cut costs in operations and refinanced debt at a lower interest rate to offset an even larger price jump to customers. The Board will take up the issue at a Public Hearing on July 10, 2013. If approved, the rate hike would take effect September 1, 2013.
Click here for details on the proposed rate increase.
