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The Board of Directors of the
Soquel Creek Water District held a Public Hearing on February 19,
2008 to consider the proposed water rates and charges for
2008.
The
District’s Protest Officer provided a verbal report to the
Board of the results of the Proposition 218 Protest Letters.
The results were:
Total
eligible Proposition 218 “affected
owners”:
13,943
Protest
Letters needed to reject proposed increases (50% +
1):
6,972
Total
rejecting both the water rates and service
charges:
427
Total
Protest Letters rejecting only the proposed water
rates: 107
Total
Protest Letters rejecting only the proposed service
charge: 15
Total
Protest Letters rejecting the proposed fire service
charge:
0
After consideration of the
matter, the Board
adopted a resolution to adjust the bi-monthly water
quantity rates and service charges. The water quantity charges
include the addition of a new tier that is 19% less than the
current rate. The Tier 2 and Tier 3 rates are raised
by 54% and 32% respectively. The first tier is for water use up to 8 units in a two-month billing period for residential customers
with a 5/8th-inch meter. Tier 2 is for water use from 9 to 30
units of water. Approximately 75% of the households
within the District remain within this range all year.
Tier 3, intended to encourage
conservation, is for water use over 30 units in a two-month
billing period.
The bi-monthly service charge
is increased by
11% for 5/8th-inch
domestic meters and from 13% to 21% for other meter
sizes. The
service charge is based on the size of the meter but is not a
meter fee. This charge covers fixed costs incurred
regardless of whether any water is sold. Over 90% of
the meters in the District are 5/8th-inch. The District’s
service charge is approximately 21% below the average service charge for
comparable water agencies in Santa Cruz
County.
The fire service charge for 2-inch fire
meters is raised by 4% and the charge for 3-inch and
larger meters is decreased from 10% to 32% depending on
size. The reductions are due to the use of a more
accurate "design capacity" than what had been used in
prior years.
The new rates and
charges, listed below, will take effect on March 1, 2008.
These increases are based primarily on the need for significant
capital investments to assure a reliable water supply. (click
for .PDF)
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Service
Charge – Bi Monthly
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Meter
Size
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Past
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Effective
3/01/08
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5/8-inch
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$28.00
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$31.00
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3/4-inch
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$32.90
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$37.00
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1-inch
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$47.70
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$55.00
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1-1/2
inch
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$80.70
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$95.10
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2-
inch
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$121.90
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$145.20
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3-inch
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$278.40
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$335.40
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4-inch
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$426.60
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$515.70
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6-inch
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$838.40
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$1,016.30
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Quantity
Rates (per Ccf)
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Customer
Class
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Threshold:
Ccf=unit*
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Past
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Effective
3/01/08
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Non-Single
Family (all meter sizes)
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All
units
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$3.36
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$4.27
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Single
Family Rate (5/8" x 3/4" meter)
Tier 1
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1
- 8 units
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$3.36
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$2.71
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Single
Family Rate (5/8" x 3/4" meter)
Tier 2
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9
- 30 units
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$3.36
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$5.17
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Single
Family Rate (5/8" x 3/4" meter)
Tier 3
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>
30 units
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$6.78
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$8.96
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Single
Family Rate (3/4" & larger meter)
Tier 1
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1
- 13 units
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$3.36
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$2.71
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Single
Family Rate (3/4" & larger meter)
Tier 2
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14
- 49 units
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$3.36
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$5.17
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Single
Family Rate (3/4" & larger meter)
Tier 3
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>
49 units
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$6.78
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$8.96
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*Ccf
= Hundred Cubic Feet = 748 gallons
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Bi-Monthly
Private Fire Protection Service Charges
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Size
of Service
In Inches of Diameter
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Monthly
Charges
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Past
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Effective
3/01/08
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2-inch
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$4.80
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$5.00
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3-inch
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$11.90
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$10.00
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4-inch
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$20.80
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$18.80
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6-inch
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$47.60
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$39.20
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8-inch
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$83.40
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$56.40
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Proposed
Rate Change Report links (click
titles for details)
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