LAKEPORT — Dozens of Lucerne residents expressed their dismay Tuesday about water-rate increases proposed by their service provider.
Charles Moton called the proposal an “example of corporate greed” during his comments to the Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) Tuesday afternoon at the Lake County Courthouse.
California Water Service Co. (Cal Water), the private company that provides water to the Lucerne area, filed a general rate case with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in July requesting a new rate structure.
The current monthly cost for a typical residential customer would almost double after three years, starting in January 2014, under the proposed rates, according to figures provided by Cal Water.
The company asked for the restructuring to cover operational and maintenance costs as well as fund system improvements needed for Lucerne, according to its website.
The BOS discussed Tuesday whether to send letters to the CPUC and state representatives opposing the proposed increases.
“This board obviously doesn”t set the rates for the water in Lucerne. What I”m asking the board to do is speak for Lucerne in this (CPUC) rate hearing,” Supervisor Denise Rushing, whose district includes Lucerne, said.
The letter raised several concerns, including that “the onerous water bill is a significant factor in pushing families to the economic brink in the community of Lucerne.”
Moton told the supervisors that financially strapped households in the town tried to cut back on water use the last time rates increased, which might not have worked out as planned because decreased usage affects how much money comes into Cal Water.
“Because the community was conserving water, the water company is using this reduced water usage as an excuse to raise our rates even higher. In short, our poverty is being used against us,” he said.
Other property owners talked about how they struggle to pay their current water bills, predicted how the higher costs would affect their town and criticized the quality of their drinking water.
Becky Ornellas, who owns the Fosters Freeze in Lucerne, said the proposed rates could force her family to close the restaurant.
Some residents questioned the figures provided by Cal Water, saying they pay much more than what the company stated the average customer paid.
According to Cal Water, the typical residential user pays $62.85 per month.
The proposed structure would increase the monthly bill to $81.36 as of January 2014, $107.28 in January 2015 and $124.22 in January 2016.
Alan Flora, deputy county administrative officer, said the number of vacancies in Lucerne could explain why some residents see higher bills.
Cal Water representative Tom Smegal told the supervisors he appreciated the public comments shared Tuesday and encouraged residents to present similar information to the CPUC.
He said that the company subsidizes a portion of the Lucerne rates and that about 10-percent of people who could qualify for the low-income assistance program were not enrolled.
The request process with the CPUC could take roughly 18 months, Smegal added.
The BOS unanimously approved sending the letter to state officials after the nearly two-hour discussion.
“My message to Cal Water is that this issue isn”t going away because the town is suffering. And so it”s going to keep happening and we”re going to deal with the fact that this is an economic disaster for the town of Lucerne,” Rushing said.
Jeremy Walsh is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636, ext. 37 or jwalsh@record-bee.com. Follow him on Twitter, @JeremyDWalsh.
