Water rate increases - Opinion

As if the so called fire “fee” wasn’t bad enough, with another hit coming again in March, I received my usual bi-monthly shock/joke otherwise known in this house as the EID water bill.

I watch the amount due increase with each bill received and have to marvel at the structural changes in these bills that lead to these increases despite my best efforts to decrease the amount of water being used. This one was $13.69 higher than the previous even though I was gone for two weeks and $16.58 over last year’s bill for the same time period. I didn’t realize that this so-called 70/30 restructuring to increase their revenue would involve an autornatic $20 increase in our Basic Water Rate that took place on my August bill along with other previous increases over the past months.

I read all about what EID is doing with their increased revenue. Elaborate Website, multi-paged colored newsletters published by the community relations department, worksite tours and, of course, that very aggressive 5-year Capital Improvement Plan. What have you been doing with the money I have been giving you for the last 32 years? I see where Debt Restructuring has improved their credit score thanks to the “modifying rate structures and raising rates.” Thank you homeowner! And, there are the workshops being given like the one in Cameron Park so that commercial customers can be eligible for water efficiency grants. What about us little guys?

I want to thank a Mr. Greg Prada from my city for his frequent letters to the editor for keeping us updated on the use/misuse of our dollars to EID. I am now watching my outside meter every week in an attempt to see if I can keep my reading below 1,800 units to avoid the tier 2 rates and living on water rationing to keep my use as low as possible. I guess EID has decided that this new structure is the best and fair for all. How is this fair when single residences are paying more for less for the benefits of a few?

JOAN PELLEGRINI
Cameron Park