Sentinel staff report–
The Citrus Heights Water District will hold a public hearing on Monday, Nov. 25, regarding another proposed water rate and service fee increase, which the district has raised each year since 2012.
Hilary Straus, the water district’s general manager, told The Sentinel in a phone interview on Wednesday that proposed increases in both service fees and water consumption rates are necessary to avoid debt and provide for replacement of aging water mains and meters, as well as expand the district’s groundwater well systems. Straus also said the rate increase is needed to compensate for rising wholesale water costs from the San Juan Water District.
Aging water mains are a major concern of the district, with the majority of pipes installed from 1960 to the mid 1980s set to begin reaching the end of their 70-year useful life in 2030. Straus said the district is currently finalizing plans for “Project 2030,” which seeks to lay out a strategic and financial plan to replace more than 200 miles of water mains. A Customer Advisory Committee was formed to help develop the plan.
With the latest proposed increase, bi-monthly, fixed service charge fees are proposed to rise about $9 for a typical 1-inch residential meter, with water usage charges rising about 11 cents to $1.18 per unit. That would bring fixed charges up to $87.29, with additional charges based on actual water use, a price increase of about 11 percent.
In 2015, residents with a typical 1-inch meter paid $56.13 in fixed service fees and 77 cents per unit of water.
From last year: Citrus Heights Water District passes new fee increase, despite opposition
Straus said the district’s Prop 218 mailer that was sent to all customers is legally required to state the maximum increase proposed, but he said the board has discretion to approve a smaller increase, if desired.
As of Nov. 20, Straus said the district had received 31 protest letters opposing the latest rate increase proposal. Protest letters can be mailed or hand-delivered during the hearing, according to the district’s mailer.
Resident protests of past rate increases have questioned the district’s repeated rate hikes and speculated whether too much money is going to salaries.
According to meeting minutes from the water district’s October meeting, the board voted 3-0 in favor of a 2.6% cost-of-living pay raise for the district’s salary schedule, set to go into effect Jan. 6 of next year. A Nov. 20 meeting agenda posted online, also included a scheduled vote on a “merit-based salary adjustment” for the district’s general manager, raising base pay from $95.76 per hour to $99.25 per hour, beginning next year. A bonus of $1,975 was also proposed as “one-time rewards and recognition pay” for the same position.
The general manager’s total wages in 2018 are listed at $184,968, according to salary information posted by the State Controller’s Office online. A list of all water district employee salaries is available at publicpay.ca.gov.
Residents on fixed incomes have also complained about the fixed service charges increasing, but the district says on its website that current state law does not allow it to offer a low-income rate program.
The water district’s upcoming public hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 25 in the Rusch Park Community Center, located at 7801 Auburn Blvd. If approved, the increase will affect about two-thirds of Citrus Heights residents, as some Citrus Heights residents are served by neighboring water districts and will not face the proposed rate increase.
Additional information is available at chwd.org/2020-proposed-rate-adjustments.
Want to share your thoughts on the proposed water rate increase? Click here to submit a letter to the editor.
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Public Hearing Info:
Date: Nov. 25, 2019
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Rusch Park Community Center
Sunrise/Patio Room
7801 Auburn Blvd., Citrus Heights
