Calaveras water rate hikes scaled back after ratepayers object

By Dana M. Nichols, Record Staff Writer

July 11, 2013

SAN ANDREAS – Calaveras County Water District directors scaled back plans for a rate increase Wednesday after facing hours of sometimes-angry criticism from an overflow crowd of ratepayers.

District staff had recommended hiking water rates by 60 percent over four years and sewer rates almost 70 percent over five years. They said the increase is necessary to replace aging pipes, pumps and other equipment at risk for failure.

But after thousands of ratepayers mailed in protest letters and dozens turned out at Wednesday’s public hearing, directors scaled back the proposed hikes.

Under an amended plan devised by director Jeff Davidson, water rates will rise 57 percent over three years, then stay at the same level the next two years, reaching a maximum monthly base rate of $61.89. The current monthly base rate is $39.50 for a typical home.

Davidson’s plan calls for sewer rates to rise 33 percent over three years. Homeowners now pay $67.50 a month for sewer service. Under the adopted plan, that will rise each year until it reaches $90 a month on Sept. 1, 2015. The first hike in rates of roughly $10 a month each for water and sewer will take effect Sept. 1.

The vote was 4-1 with Director Bob Dean opposed. After the vote, Dean said he cast his ballot in error because he incorrectly believed he was voting just on Davidson’s proposed amendment, rather than the entire amended rate increase package. Dean said he does support the rate increase.

During the presentation on the proposed rate increases, district Director of Financial Planning Jeffrey Meyer showed a photograph of a geyser of water from a ruptured water district pipe that showered Highway 4 in Arnold on Friday and damaged some nearby properties.

Davidson agreed that the district is in sore need of replacing the Arnold water pipe and other facilities such as sewer lift stations near Lake Tulloch in Copperopolis.

Davidson also said he believes the infrastructure replacement and repair program presented by staff would be the most economical in the long run because it would avoid costly equipment failures and the fines the district will face if it spills sewage into Lake Tulloch, for example.

Yet he said he could not support the full proposed five-year rate plan.

“It’s too much money for the public to bear,” Davidson said. “The entire state is in denial about the cost of water and sewer.”

Many of the dozens of people who spoke at Wednesday’s hearing said they can’t afford to pay higher rates.

“If you have this rate hike, I’ll be leaving the county,” said Danny Thomas, a resident of the Saddle Creek housing development in Copperopolis.

Gary Caldwell, one of only two people at who spoke at Wednesday’s hearing and didn’t oppose the full proposed rate increase, noted that elected district leaders historically have been reluctant to raise rates enough to begin replacing dilapidated pipes, pumps and treatment plants.

“The system must really be in bad shape for you to risk your re-election bid,” he said.

Contact Dana M. Nichols at (209) 607-1361 or dnichols@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at www.recordnet.com/calaverasblog.