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Water Replenishment District increases rates almost 20%; Increase in groundwater replenishment assessment will impact Long Beach water ratepayers this fall

Posted by: Maven on May 5, 2009 at 7:41 am

From the Long Beach Water Department, this press release:

LONG BEACH, CA – The Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD), which manages the groundwater basin from which Long Beach pumps its water, has approved an 18.9 percent increase in its groundwater pumping rate, commonly known as the “replenishment assessment,” for the next fiscal year. The move will impact Long Beach, with Long Beach Water Department customers likely seeing this increase reflected in water bills beginning in October 2009.

“The increase in the pumping rate, which is a fixed cost, is something we’ve expected,” stated Kevin Wattier, General Manager of the Long Beach Water Department. “The WRD is among many throughout Southern California who will have to increase rates due to the escalating price of imported water.”

Half of the City’s water supply is groundwater, pumped form the Central Groundwater Basin and treated at the Long Beach Groundwater Treatment Facility. In order to maintain the basin’s long-term solvency, the Water Replenishment District oversees its replenishment, assessing a fee on those agencies who use it. Long Beach is the largest pumper of groundwater in the Central Groundwater Basin.

Last month, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern Calfiornia announced that its Board approved a 19.7 percent increase in rates charged to member agencies, like Long Beach and the WRD, for use of imported water. The new rate increase is scheduled to take effect in September, which is four months earlier than normal. Approximately half of Long Beach’s water supply is purchased from the MWD, ranking as the Long Beach Water Department’s single largest fixed cost, budget expenditure each year.

The Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners will discuss revenue, rates and the budget for Fiscal Year ’09/’10 during their regularly scheduled public meeting, Thursday, May 21, 2009, begining at 7:00pm.

Long Beach Water is an urban, southern California retail water supply agency, and the standard in water conservation and environmental stewardship.

Ryan J. Alsop
Director of Government & Public Affairs
Long Beach Water
Brennan S. Thomas Administration Building

May 5, 2009 · Filed Under Southern California, Water Agency News

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