Goleta Water District Changes Water Meter Charges

From press release dated July 10, 2007 -

To meet the water quality and water supply needs of its customers, Goleta Water District has changed its water meter charges, according to Kevin Walsh, General Manager.

The District Board of Directors approved the changes following a second Public Hearing on the matter on Monday, July 9. The Board held the second hearing after an initial hearing on May 22 to allow sufficient time for customers to respond to two formal notices and for the Board to consider public input.

All property owners and customers that are directly responsible for paying the water bill were mailed two written notices with details about the proposed change that the Board eventually adopted.

Need for Change in Meter Charge

The changes are based on recent studies of District water supplies, costs, and revenue requirements. The District is making major investments to rehabilitate its aging water pipelines, reservoirs and other systems in order to enhance water supply reliability and improve water quality. The studies point up the need for additional reserves to make the improvements. There is also a requirement to conform to a state law that the meter charge be proportional to the cost of supplying water to each property.

The monthly water meter charge, called the Basic Service Charge on customer bills, will be based on the volume of water that a meter can supply to a property. The volume is used to calculate each property’s proportional share of the District’s fixed costs, which include maintenance, repair and upgrading of pipelines, pump stations and reservoirs, and the cost of State Project water.

Details of Change in Meter Charge

Each larger size meter can impose a larger water demand, using more of the water system’s fixed costs. A three-inch meter, for example, can use 10 times more water than a ¾-inch meter. The three-inch meter charge is, therefore, 10 times more, than the ¾-inch meter charge, resulting in comparatively large increases for larger meters as required by State law.

The monthly increases for the classes of water users are: for 5/8-inch and ¾-inch meters, an increase from the current $18.42 to $27.63; 1-inch meter, from $24.96 to $46.06; 1½-inch meter, from $40.88 to $92.10; 2-inch meter, from $58.09 to $147.38; 3-inch meter, from $97.04 to $276.33; 4-inch meter, from $144.57 to $460.55; 6-inch meter, from $269.23 to $921.09; 8-inch meter, from $396.51 to $1,473.76; and 10-inch meter, from $523.79 to $3,500.72. The changes take effect with the July 2007 billing statement.

Benefits for Low Water Use

The changes benefit District customers that use low or ultra-low amounts of water. For ultra-low water use of 4 hundred cubic feet or less per month, the meter charge will decrease from the current $18.42 a month to $9.21. For low water use from 5 to 8 hundred cubic feet a month, there is no change in the current meter charge of $18.42 a month. One hundred cubic feet equals 748 gallons.

Qualifying for these low and ultra-low water use meter charges will be based on a 12-month rolling average, and will be automatically calculated by computer. About 30 percent of District customers may qualify for the low or ultra-low water use categories of meter charges that will either lower their water bills or leave them unchanged.

The District allows the exchange of an existing meter for a smaller meter at no charge if the smaller meter better meets the customer’s requirements. Customers can also lower their bills by conserving water. The District provides information that can help reduce water usage and reduce customers’ costs by calling 805-964-6761 or visiting www.goletawater.com.

For additional information, customers may contact the District at 805-964-6761 or visit www.goletawater.com.