Last night was the final public outreach effort before the district’s board decision on rate hikes. After more than three-and-half hours of public comments and board discussion directors settled on a plan no one expected.
They approved the 75% rate increase model that has been on the table but will use that as a rate ceiling and implement instead a 9% increase and dip into some of the district’s reserves to make up the difference.
The decision leaves the board the option to bring rates up to a higher level without an additional prop 218 notice should the district come up short.
Effective March 1st – the new, modest rates go into effect.
Chromium-6 mitigation, pipeline replacement, and operating costs were cited for driving up the cost of bringing clean water to residents of Joshua Tree.
Some 5,700 property owners were notified by mail and given the opportunity to oppose any increase by submitting valid written protest ballots; 81 protest ballots were turned in to the water agency, far less than the “50% plus one” needed to take the matter off the table altogether.
