Gas prices aren't the only costs going up. According to today's release from the Long Beach Water Department, the Long
Beach Board of Water Commissioners
voted to raise water and sewer rates by "a combined 15.8 percent" for FY 2009. The hike is expected to take effect on Oct. 1
For a typical family household, that's an additional $5.39 a month for water and an another $1.30 a month for sewage service.
Rising costs for services like imported water and losses in water sales prompted the rate hike. (About 2 percent of the 15.8 percent will be used to offset those losses.)
"The increase to water and sewer rates is substantial, and unavoidable," according to President of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners Bill Townsend. "Imported water, upon which our city is heavily reliant, is up 14.3 percent and is expected to get significantly more expensive with each year. Construction, power, water treatment, labor and other fees and assessments we are required to pay are all up substantially. We have done everything we can as a Board, in the limited areas where we can, to mitigate these cost increases, including a 40 percent reduction next year in our water main replacement and rehabilitation program."
There will be a special public protest hearing on Sept. 18.
For a typical family household, that's an additional $5.39 a month for water and an another $1.30 a month for sewage service.
Rising costs for services like imported water and losses in water sales prompted the rate hike. (About 2 percent of the 15.8 percent will be used to offset those losses.)
"The increase to water and sewer rates is substantial, and unavoidable," according to President of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners Bill Townsend. "Imported water, upon which our city is heavily reliant, is up 14.3 percent and is expected to get significantly more expensive with each year. Construction, power, water treatment, labor and other fees and assessments we are required to pay are all up substantially. We have done everything we can as a Board, in the limited areas where we can, to mitigate these cost increases, including a 40 percent reduction next year in our water main replacement and rehabilitation program."
There will be a special public protest hearing on Sept. 18.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
politics. A newcomer to the Press-
Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
covering environmental issues, economic triumphs and
pitfalls and trade trends of America’s largest port.
He also writes a weekly column “On The Waterfront”,
appearing Tuesdays, and also produces an occassional video
and column titled “On The Job,” which follows the hard-working
men and women who keep Southern California’s economy humming.
Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
Speaking of water and sewage, what happened to the Bay this weekend? The beaches on the bay were closed all day Sunday.
I think that all abusive users of any trash/sewer service should pay the Coastal commission for the unusable waters in the Pacific Ocean. This would include producers of non-biodegradable packaging that ends up on the Coast.