Politics & Government
RMWD Directors to Decide Tuesday on Water and Sewer Rates
A public hearing will be held prior to directors' vote on proposed rates to take effect Nov. 1. Solar installations at the sewer plants should be in by the end of the year.
General Manager David Barnum said he does not expect many people to turn out for a public hearing on Oct. 25 even though he has received several letters regarding the proposed increases in water and sewer rates.
Barnum, who stepped into the position of general manager on Oct. 6, said he doesn’t foresee any “organized” effort behind the handful of letters.
The public hearing, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday during the regular meeting of the RMWD Board of Directors at Ramona Community Center, will allow time for comments from the community before going to the directors for discussion and a vote later in the meeting.
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Rates for treated water will remain the same in the coming year, while untreated water rates and sewer rates are expected to be raised. The directors will hear proposals from Barnum and then make a decision on the rates.
Higher rates are necessary based on what the district pays for water from its supplier, the County Water Authority. Rates for treated water, suggested at a decrease of 19 cents per unit, have been offset by a 19-cent change in electricity costs from San Diego Gas & Electric.
Find out what's happening in Ramonawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The suggested rates for RMWD customers were determined by an independent study by Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc., which has an office in Pasadena.
Letters were mailed in August to 10,050 district customers, notifying them of the public hearing. The new rates, if approved by the board, will go into effect on Nov. 1.
Solar Installations
At an Oct. 11 board meeting, the directors unanimously agreed to adopt a mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring program for the photovoltaic system installations planned for the district’s two waste water plants.
Along with that decision was a unanimous vote on accepting power-purchase agreements between the district and Kismet Solar LLC for approximately $46,000.
Alisha Winterswyk, an attorney with Best, Best & Kreiger, the legal firm that represents the district, updated the directors on the progress for the proposed solar installations. The installations are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Water board meetings are held at , 434 Aqua Lane.
