LUCERNE >> At least two things have not changed for residents of Lucerne. Water prices are still high and the struggle to find ways to lower the bill continues.
The topic again came up at a Lucerne Town Hall with District Supervisor Jim Steele. Although recent efforts proved effective at reducing consumer water costs by about a third, the community still pays above local averages.
“They had a settlement case that they got involved in and they worked with the company to change the profile of Lucerne so that it was considered part of a larger group of ratepayers and they got it,” Steele explained.
The town has had high water prices for 15 years Steele said and they are looking to make it even lower than what they have now.
“I have been meeting with Senator [Mike] McGuire and working on trying to get the loan forgiven to further lower the prices of the water,” Steele said.
With the loan forgiven, the potential cost for water in the area could drop to $17 or possibly further. Yet the load forgiveness process is still being discussed. At this point there is no specific time line in place. Furthermore, the state has final approval on any such plan.
Still any reduction in rates and any movement toward further cuts is welcome news in this community.
In 2014, residents in Lucerne were paying as high as $107 and as low as $80 per month on their water bills. New water rates took effect after a change was made to Lucerne’s General Rate Case. But this involved necessary increases in 2015 and 2016 to help complete infrastructure improvements, which helped to cut some of the current rates.
“The company, Cal Water, has always been in full agreement and looking to find a solution to Lucerne’s high water rates,” Steele said.
In 2015, Cal Water gave a $136,000 grant to perform a two phase improvement project on an intake pump in Clear Lake for those in Lucerne. It would have a lower pump in the Lake to draw water when lake levels are low and also a floating intake pump that responds to the seasonal rise and fall of the lake.
The pumps draw water and make it potable without impacting the Lucerne customers’ water rates.
Lucerne Town Hall member Bob Gardner said the price of the water has been something that has affected residents in the area for some time. For this reason, the longstanding effort to cut costs is important.
“This is a big thing for the town and it’ll make a huge difference to the residents,” Gardner said.
