The CPUC held a prehearing conference on the increases Monday, June 23, in San Francisco. The rate increases were not opposed by the Lucerne Community Water Organization (LCWO), which formed in 2005 to intervene in a rate increase proposal that year.

LCWO President Craig Bach said he has communicated with the CPUC Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) and the administrative law judge on the case, Douglas M. Long, but the organization made no attempt to intervene in the case.

Third District supervisor Denise Rushing said LCWO and the county have discussed the case, but “we haven't been asked to formally intervene at this point"

Bach said neither he nor the few other people who regularly attend LCWO meetings have had the time to attend San Francisco hearings or announce a local meeting on the current proposal.

The group's next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, 10th Avenue and Country Club Drive.

In Lucerne, where it has approximately 1,900 customers, Cal Water asks for a $.62 hike per 100 cubic feet. The company says the proposal would increase the average monthly bill for 700 cubic feet of water per month from the current $67.04 to $71.35 in mid-2009.

The company recently announced a scheduled $17.34 monthly surcharge will start when the company's new plant on Highway 20 goes online soon. Company representatives were unable to say exactly how soon, although both July 1 and September 1 have been mentioned as goals. The surcharge will repay an $8 million zero-interest state loan for the plant.

Golden State serves approximately 2,164 customers in the city of Clearlake, covering the lakefront area north to Park Lane, and south into Borax Lake, Country Club and South Olympic, according to Paul Schubert, the Clearlake system manager. Their customers would see a monthly increase of 16 cents per 100 cubic feet.

Golden State's current charge per 100 cubic feet is $3.782, with a service charge of $42.15 for the typical residential 5/8 x 3/4-inch meter. A four cent surcharge per 100 cubic feet covers discounts for participants in the California Alternative Rates for Water (CARW).

The current Cost of Capital (COC) proposals are intended to make the companies' stocks more attractive to investors, according to an announcement from Cal Water, which said the increase will assist the company in “maintaining an investment grade rating.” The applications have been consolidated by the CPUC for procedural reasons, Schubert said.

Golden State Water's parent company, American States Water Co. (NYSE:AWR), reported a drop in 2008 first-quarter earnings of nine cents per share from the same period in 2007.

California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT) announced 2008 first-quarter net income of $0.2 million and diluted earnings per common share of $0.01, a drop from net income of $1.6 million and diluted earnings per common share of $0.07 for the first quarter of 2007.

The company's April 30 press release noted “a decline in investment income.” Despite that, on January 23, 2008, Cal Water announced a dividend of $0.29250, the highest since 1992, the earliest date on its Web site.

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says it all!
written by kd006, July 05, 2008

"seek rate increases to improve their ability to attract capital investment"

Not to provide better service but to grub money, scum suckers.

Look at the other article and then look up Suez Water and see how that multi-national company is screwing americans from sea to shining sea!

:!:

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Barbarians at the Gate
written by Donna Christopher, July 05, 2008

Time for the county to eminent domain them - they really are blighting up the place with their for profit water. At this point in time the only asset CWSC actually owns is the 90+ miles of crappy, antiquated pipe. The new plant belongs to US - we are paying for it thru a no interest loan from the state and the PUC made it clear - it cannot be used as an asset for CalWater. Put in a benefit assessment district to replace the pipes and run these carpet baggers outta town. Not thrilled with Community Service Districts but its a better devil than CWSC. Or we can sit and fret and navel gaze whilst dying of thirst.

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...
written by yellowwing, July 05, 2008

Does Ms. Christopher comprehend that eminent domain is not free? That the county would have to pay fair market value for the asset?

Cal Water does own the new plant and the entire water system. I'm sure they would love to unload the system and all of its debt on a not-for-profit company.

I'm not defending Cal Water Service and their rate structure. I will say that since Cal Water Service has owned the water system many improvements have been implemented - many of which were required by the department of health services.

Funny how people sat contemplating their navels for years while the original Lucerne Water system became a wreck.

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Sorry yellowwing but not
written by Donna Christopher, July 05, 2008

according to the PUC which specifically answered the question the last time we had a meeting at the Senior Center. The new upgraded plant cannot be used as an asset of CWSC - the $$ came from the state and the ratepayers are repaying said indebtedness. Of course eminent domain is not free - you pay fair market value. The only asset CWSC has is the crappy pipe and a lakefront lot that has improvements they can't claim. As for navel gazing under the former owners, they gave the town a chance to buy the company. I did a chicken little impression for a couple of weeks and found NO INTEREST in this town at all in taking over the company. Of course there were new regs by the Dept of Health, Bob and Nadine did not hide the fact that that was coming down the road and was part of the reason they were dumping the system. Keep having picnics in the park or storm the gates - I'm past being passive about being buggered.

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And another damn
written by Donna Christopher, July 05, 2008

thing - nobody from either water organization bothered to ask the BOS to intervene???!!! Why the hell did we have a hearing with them asking to do such things on our behalf and then no one bothers to ask?? I got an email about a picnic in the park but sending our Supervisor an email was what - possibly effective???

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Again
written by purplegirl, July 05, 2008

I think people do not realize what can happen when you allow private corporations to take over and this should really serve as a reminder. You are, whether you like it or not, at their mercy, when you sell your necessary natural resources to a corporation. All you need to do is look at what happened in Bolivia when the Bechtel Corporation privatized and monopolized the water system to see how absolutely corrupt a private system can get. Bechtel was even even charging them for collecting rain water. Sad but true. Maybe, it is too late for us but I can't blame and have to admire people who are attempting to take a stand against companies who are making necessities into commodities. I like it how Dr. Shiva puts it, she simply asks the question as to why we should be forced to follow laws and pay a price for anything that nature gives for free. It is a question even Ghandi asked, as he stood up for the taxation of salt (an essential natural element which was free to the people of India until the British Government realized they could make a buck off of it). It is a question I think needs to be asked more often.

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You\'re next Clearlake Oaks!!!
written by helenemw, July 05, 2008

Everybody better read the most recent letter sent out by the Clearlake Oaks County Water District, as your rates are going up unless you attend the August 16th meeting at 7:00 pm at the Grange Hall in CLO, or protest in writing beforehand. Your rates will be going up to $91 - $97 a month!!! This whole county paying for it's own water to Yolo County is ridiculous in the first place - now WE are paying more and more because nobody can take the bull by the horns... :x

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You\'re next Clearlake Oaks!!!
written by helenemw, July 05, 2008

Everybody that owns property in CLO better read the most recent letter from the CLO county Water District as your rates are going up too unless you attend the meeting on August 16th at 7:00 pm at the Grange hall or protest in writing beforehand. You will be paying $91-$97 a month too!! It's a real shame that we, the public, have to keep paying and paying through the nose because Lake County has to pay Yolo County for our own water because nobody will take the bull by the horns!!

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Golden State Water Company
written by DerBingel, July 05, 2008

I have both well and G.S. Water as supply to my home. The Sonoma Plant is < .2 of a mile from my home and the water quality is outstanding, to the point I don't even bother drying down my vehicle after washing. Absolutely no water spots, plus the water is excellent tasting straight from the tap!

I must admit I've always thought G.S. Water rates (formerly California Cities Water) was rather high, but took into consideration I am living in a rural area. :roll:

Now with higher rates coming down the pike, I'm considering switching back to my well as the main water supply to the house, but then I must contend with regular maintenance, e.g., filter changes... carbon cannisters... water softener... etc. (G.S. Water pulls water from Clear Lake... a natural soft water lake).

When I think of the expense I'll incur with the well, the rate hikes don't seem so bad with G.S. Water, especially when you consider no time will be involved with maintenance matters on my part.

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DerBingel, I wonder what
written by Donna Christopher, July 05, 2008

CWSC is doing (or not) with our water, if you wash a vehicle (I will admit it, I splurged about a month ago and washed my car for the first time at home in two years) in Lucerne, you better towel it down or use a Mr. Clean rinse filter, if not then there are heavy white spots all over it (was told it was the boron in the water). Ooops, said it outloud, now they will charge us extra for it :wink: I called every well driller in Lake & Mendo counties when these killer rates first came on the radar, never got a return call from a single one of them. Perhaps you cannot drill in Lucerne anymore - I would love to put in a well if only so I can water outside.

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Donna
written by DerBingel, July 07, 2008

Sounds like the water plant is not using sand filtration with their clarifiers, along with their carbon filtration process.

Heavy white spotting could also be caused by excessive sodium hypochlorite injection during the disinfection process.

You can easily detect this by the smell of your water coming straight from the tap. It will have the faint to strong smell of household bleach. :shock:

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Oaks Water Rates Proposed Incr
written by JHeeszel, July 07, 2008

This letter was submitted to the CLO Water Dept, Local newspapers, Board of Supervisors, Mike Thompson.
This is in response to the notification we received in the mail concerning the PROPOSED rate increases or "Adjustments" as stated on your flyer mailed to all Clearlake Oaks water customers.
As I have read and think I understand your reasoning for this I question the order in which this seems to be the reasons. Under "Water Utility Service" In part it states...The proposed rate adjustments will provide funding to cover increased operational costs such as "LABOR", state and federal water treqatment regulations and to continue to provide for the set-aside of funds for renewal and replacement of infrastructure as it ages. Then under Wastewater (Sewer)Utility Service it goes on to say this rate adjustment will provide funding to cover the cost of, again, LABOR etc etc.
We plan to attend the meeting at the Grange Hall in August and hope at that meeting we can get answers such as HOW MANY employees are you paying, which includes benefits and whatever compared to other water districts in this county. How many other water districts in this county have updated all their equipment? My, all these new trucks we see in town now! Are ALL your men out there in the field certified? Have you looked into cutbacks in the work force as everyone else has had to do? Look at our schools. In these times medical benefits are like gold and I for one have to pay a portion of my benefits, approximately $400.00 a month as do our kids that live out of county. Its funny how other companies have found ways to DECREASE their overhead and maintain a business.
How have we "cutback"? We took out our flowers and replaced them with artificial ones. Put in rock and solar lights. We have a few greenery's but rarely water anything. Because we are on social security now and believe me its not much a month we have DECREASED our usage of PG&E, which keeps us alittle warmer in the summer and DECREASED our heating for the winter, cutback our television to minimum channels, basic on phone, and for what? To pay almost $100.00 for water and sewer a month so all of you can benefit your higher salaries and medical benefits, new trucks and all. Take a good look at what you have increased and want to pass on the the water users to pay for the labor. We will also be ready to submit numbers of employees in other water districts in this county and salaried. Take a GOOD look at your overhead and be ready to answer some of these questions at that board meeting.
Before any increases take effect, an outside auditor must be brought in, not by your choice but approved by the people of Clearlake Oaks Water District before any rate increases take effect. After all, you work for us.

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...
written by JHeeszel, July 10, 2008

I have submitted my letter and WILL be at the August 16th meeting. I, like you am tired of paying more and more. I also think there is more to this than the public is aware of. I will also be going to the meeting July 16th. Would like to see how their meetings are conducted. I have been talking to everyone I see about getting those letters into the office. Keep writing, more and more people are reading things now.

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