CCWD Notifying Customers of Proposed Water, Sewer Rate Changes

After more than a year of in-depth analysis and discussion, the Calaveras County Water District Board of Directors instructed staff to send written notifications to customers regarding proposed changes to rates for the District’s 13,000 water customers and 5,000 sewer customers (click here to read the notice). These notices are required by Proposition 2018 (Prop. 218), which is a constitutional amendment passed in 1996 that ensures public agencies notify customers before rates or fees are changed. Prop. 218 also requires a 45-day period between the mailing of the notices and the date of a final public hearing, at which time the new water and sewer rates will be voted on by CCWD Board members. CCWD’s public rate hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. May 23, 2018, at the District’s headquarters at 120 Toma Court, San Andreas. All information regarding the proposed rate changes will be posted to www.ccwd.org/rates.

CCWD Prop. 218 Notice
CCWD Prop. 218 Notice

Public Outreach

During the months of April and May, the District will continue its public outreach efforts regarding rates, which have been ongoing since summer 2017. These include meeting with community leaders, working with local media providers, speaking to community groups, posting flyers throughout the county, posting information on the District’s website and social media accounts and answering questions via phone and in person in the Customer Service Department. Staff will also make presentations about the proposed rate changes at town hall meetings throughout the county. These meetings have been planned in the evenings to ensure community members can attend after work.

Town Hall Meeting Schedule

For additional information about the rate changes, click below to view two presentations staff recently provided to the CCWD Board of Directors

 

Questions?

Customers with questions regarding the proposed rate changes may be directed to the CCWD Customer Service Department at customerservice@ccwd.org or (209) 754-3123.

5 Comments. Leave new

  • You may have a case… or you might not. The presentation does not clearly analyze the needs of the district, it is a “given number,” and all the other arguments flow from this, to satisfy the revenue need. There seem to be some highly upset people (as I have gathered from local social media posts). I think you should make a much better case for how the budget could not close otherwise, and what investments and maintenance might be necessary in the near future, and why. We all want reliable and high quality drinking water, and are in principle highly willing to support you, but your presentation is lacking in persuading even potentially understanding and supportive customers. Questions to address: 1. What has changed in recent years (besides the CPI driving all costs up) making this increase necessary? 2. What else has been tried to reduce costs? 3. How can we be sure there is no major waste, nepotism, unnecessary contracts/consultants, etc. driving the budget up? Some better budget transparency, comparison to several representative (and not cherry-picked) water districts from around the area would be also be very useful.

  • Richard Queirolo
    April 3, 2018 10:53 pm

    I’m still getting used to the last rate hike and the last rate hike before that. Are you kidding. And the quality has gone down. Discolorization, odor, hardness and pesticides. What can we do? Pathetic, I can not just keep coming up with more money, maybe a little bit once every forty years.

  • Marie schafle
    April 12, 2018 4:26 pm

    I will be at the april 26 meeting in valley springs and these are questions that i would like answers to please. I am not against rate hikes per se but i would like to know the reasons for them and how the numbers were derived. I agree with the previous comment. Please give us some facts. Thanks

  • Echoing the same concerns stated by Peter on April 2nd. It seems that throwing only money at a perceived problem does not make it go away. CCWD, in its proposal has not made a good enough and transparent case for the rate increase.

  • To much corruption, to much wasted bond money and simply put citizens must be prudent in business to survive how about CCWD follow the same ethics and
    quit making hardships on people who pay your salary.!

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