Rate hikes will soak residents

Metropolitan Water District rate increases, which go into effect Jan. 1, mean rate hikes are in the works for the estimated 32,000 water users in the Crescenta Valley Water District. The Crescenta Valley receives 60% of its water from the Verdugo basin and the other 40% is imported through the Metropolitan Water District. Along with other districts in the region, including Glendale, folks in the Crescenta Valley can expect rates to go up in coming months as water becomes less available and importing water becomes costlier.

The Crescenta Valley Water District staff presented its board with three options for proposed public rate increases – to make up for the district’s expected 5.4% cost increase – at a public workshop meeting Tuesday night at the district office in La Crescenta. The options will be brought back to the Crescenta Valley Water Board in draft form this coming Tuesday night for selection of one option to be sent out to residents in the form of a public notice announcing an increase that would begin in February.

Staff’s preferred option is a tiered rate for single-family residences and an across the board 5.4% increase for commercial and industrial users, and multi-family complexes. In the tiered structure, single family residences that consume less than eight units (8,000 gallons) of water – the amount determined to be a necessary health and safety minimum – within a billing cycle, would retain the current $3.70-per-unit rate. Those using up to 22,000 gallons (22 units) would be charged an additional $.20-per-unit, beyond those first eight units. And, for units more than 22, the rate would go up to $4.20-per-unit. The middle tier is a 5.4% increase.

Some residents at Tuesday night’s meeting, including Crescenta Valley Town Council member Danette Erickson, expressed displeasure with what appears to be an inequitable burden for single-families, since those single-family residences using more than the middle tier would be paying more for additional water use. “I am floored by the fact that this only affects single-family residences,” Erickson said. “That seems terribly unfair. … What about Cal Trans and other large users?”

However, the non-single-family residences would not be given a break for the first eight units of use, David Gould, district engineer said, adding, “All of the commercial [users] will receive a 5.4% increase. They’re not off the hook, they’re just not on the tier.”