Water District Directors Approve Rate Increase Effective Jan. 1

Average residential customers of Crescenta Valley Water District will be paying about $7 more for water every two months after the first of the year, according to CVWD officials. The water district's board of directors approved a rate increase at its meeting earlier this month.

The water agency's board of directors approved a seven-percent rate hike, including a $2 fixed-charge for three-quarter inch resident meters increase and an overall 7-percent commodity charge increase, into the rules and regulations effective Jan. 1.

The Dec. 13 hearing, which was the second on the proposed rate increase, had an attendance of eight district customers who heard a presentation by District Engineer David Gould explaining the need for the increase. The rate increase will cover the 4.3-percent increase Crescenta Valley Water District is paying for imported water from Metropolitan Water District as well as increased maintenance and operations costs including chlorine, fuel, natural gas, and paving and base material which are all up by approximately 20 percent from last year.

The second public hearing involved the Urban Water Management Plan. The UWMP is a comprehensive planning document involving forecasts of future water needs, water supplies, water conservation measures, demographics, and community growth and development. An update due every five years to the state was adopted by the board. A copy of the UWMP is available for review on the District's website www.cvwd.com and at the administration office.

In addition to the two public hearings, the meeting included the swearing in of directors and a full agenda including construction jobs and Vactor trucks.

CVWD swore in directorsVasken Yardemian, Richard, Atwater and Ernest Weber for another four-year term. No elections were held this year because members Yardemian, Atwater and Weber were the only candidates.

In a few weeks you may see a big addition to CVWD around town. As CVWD starts its sewer maintenance and cleaning program, authorization was given to purchase a Vactor truck for sewer cleaning. With a 500 gallon tank and a 500 foot reel hose, it will have its nose to the ground cleaning out the sewer system and responding to emergency overflows.

Also approved were two new jobs involving the upgrade of 3,110 feet of 4 inch diameter water main to 8 inch diameter pipe in the 3200 and 3300 blocks of Pontiac Street, Fairmount Avenue and Los Olivos Lane. Construction will begin in early March and continue for approximately three months.

Continuing its efforts with fire hydrant replacement, the District replaced two hydrants in the Ocean View Boulevard area at Normanton and Earnslow streets.

In conjunction with the City of Glendale, the repaving of the Montrose shopping area was completed just in time for the Christmas Parade and the holiday shopping season.

The District also recognized employee Isidoro Lopez for his 25 years of service to the District.