Big or small - everybody’s doing it
Friends of Confluence West -
In this issue of Three Drop Thursday, we’re looking at the increases in water rates, fixed rate stabilization, an encouraging water poll, and a helpful (really!) funding chart from Reclamation.
If you missed our last edition, Death, Taxes, and the CRB?, it’s time (soon to be past time) to register for the Getches-Wilkinson Center’s Colorado River Basin conference on June 6 and 7 in Boulder. Here's what we said about the 2023 conference: "The Good, Bad, and the (really) Ugly."
At Confluence West HQ, we continue to cat-herd western water agencies to develop a “zone of agreement” for federal National Forest policies for agencies dependent on supplies sourced in headwater forests. As with all of this kind of herding, this project is taking some time. Stay tuned.
For the West,
Kimery
Big and Small - everybody’s doing it
This month, the ‘Big Kahuna,’ the Metropolitan Water District, (19M customers) announced it is raising rates, doubling the current rate. A small municipal water agency, the Marin Municipal Water District (191,000 customers), also recently raised rates by a whopping amount.
Many agencies have, or are considering, a fixed rate stabilization fee. For example, the City of Fullerton recently instituted a fixed rate fee (cue the screams of outrage from some ratepayers.)
The rate increase drivers are a triumvirate of aging infrastructure, climate change creating more supply uncertainty, and increasing (and terrific) levels of water conservation (and the corresponding less water sale revenue.)
That’s what happened with the two agencies cited above.
The MWD Chair, Adan Ortega, said, “We’ve been successful in conservation to the point where our sales are declining, and we need to make that up somehow. We’ve made up the revenue and stabilized the past rates with the reserves, and we can’t keep doing that.”
If these increases haven’t yet landed in your water district, we suggest not holding your breath,
Value of Water Polling - somewhat encouraging
The US Water Alliance’s recent poll on the value of water provides encouraging news. Most of those polled support local elected officials who advocate for more investment in water infrastructure, bipartisan support for continued federal investment, and, happily, some permanent water bill assistance program.
Most respondents also said they would pay modest rate increases to support local utility projects that improve water quality and community health. All good. However, the term “modest increases” is the tripping point for so many agencies – how do you define and communicate “modest”?
A helpful chart from Reclamation!
The Bureau of Reclamation recently issued its WaterSmart funding chart, complete with due dates and contact person. This is user-friendly communication from a federal agency—kudos! (Of course, I can’t vouch for how maddening the actual proposals will be to fill out.)
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