Business & Tech

Non-residential Water Rate Increase Begins

Water rates for industrial, commercial, and governmental customers will see increases starting today.

Higher water rates for commercial, industrial, government, and multi-family structures take effect today for customers of the Walnut Valley Water District (WVWD).

The cost for multi-family dwellings (apartments and condominiums) will increase 17 cents per unit (748 gallons) of water. For commercial, industrial, and government facilities, the cost will increase by 20 cents per unit.

Water District General Manager Mike Holmes said that the increase comes in response to higher costs from the water district's wholesale water suppliers.

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The rate increase will not affect single-family residences and will not change the pumping fee for the 51 percent of customers living at higher elevations that require pumping to receive water.

The WVWD began raising rates in 2010 after increases in wholesale costs from the Metropolitan Water District and the Three Valleys Municipal Water District began, according to a release from the WVWD. Water rates from 2005-2010 had remained flat from the WVWD, the report said.

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The new rates come in well below figures projected by the water district in early 2010 and do not employ a number of other possible increases that the water district identified as considerations as the wholesale cost of water rises.

The changes under consideration for future rate adjustments include a tiered cost system for residential customers that would encourage conservation by increasing the price of water as more is consumed. Once customers enter a higher "consumption block," the price would rise per unit consumed.

The district would also consider a pumping zone surcharge, increasing rates for 49 percent of the water district's customers who require pumping services to receive water. There would be two levels of surcharges with those living at higher elevations paying more per unit of water.


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