New water prices hurt the pocketbook




Oak Park residents and businesses saw significant increases in their water bills this month. The Triunfo Sanitation District earlier voted to raise water charges and change rate tiers for customers of Oak Park Water Service, the community’s provider. Under the new plan, each level of use, from basic needs to landscaping to agriculture, leads to higher charges.

Triunfo didn’t offer an explanation in the October bill as to why
the rates jumped, but suffice it to way the new price structure reflects an increase in wholesale prices the local provider must pay.

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, which serves homes and businesses in Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village, raised their rates in late 2007. It’s ironic that even in a recession—when commercial businesses are cutting back expenses, laying off employees and lowering prices—the cost of water continues to climb. Users complain that even while they use less water, they’re still paying more. The frustration is mounting.

The public’s consumption of water doesn’t follow the normal laws of supply and demand. With public utilities there is no such thing as free enterprise. But no matter who’s doing the slicing and dicing, water in California has become a scarce commodity.

We’re not still convinced the local water districts are doing everything they can to reduce operational and administrative costs. We hear repeatedly about layoffs in education and government, but how much cutting back have the water companies done? Are employee salaries being reduced and are unnecessary expenses being curtailed, as in the private sector? Are management perks in line with what should reasonably be expected during a deep recession? Do the agencies control unnecessary real estate that could be sold to lighten the load?

Water boards tend not to receive the same public scrutiny as our school districts and city governments, therefore we invite you to attend the monthly water board meetings to learn more about where your new, higher fees are going. Visit www.lvmwd.com and www.triunfosanitationdistrict.com for meeting times and places.

While the economy continues to decline, water prices continue to rise.


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