Public Hearing for PCWA Water Rate Hike proposal

Proposed rates hikes through 2027

Auburn, Calif.- The Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board has set a public hearing for May 9, 2022, to consider the adoption of new rates and charges for water delivery and service in its Western Water System – Zone 6.

The proposed rates and charges represent a cost-of-service structure consistent with current law and include a multi-year adjustment that reflects PCWA’s revenue requirements in accordance with the Agency’s long-range financial plan.

Proposal

The proposed rates and charges for delivery of treated and untreated water are intended to increase total revenue for water system operation and maintenance by 8.0% in 2023, 8.0% in 2024, 7.0% in 2025, 7.0% in 2026, and 6.0% in 2027. The change in monthly charges for water service for each customer will vary depending upon meter size, volume of water used, and customer classification

1. The enclosed tables are provided to help you identify how your cost of water service will change.

Reason and Basis for the Adjustment

PCWA recently completed a comprehensive long-range financial plan and cost of service study to ensure PCWA has adequate revenue to continue to maintain safe and reliable service for years to come. The proposed rates in this notice are also designed to align costs with the benefitting customer classes, meet the revenue requirements necessary to recover current and projected costs of operations, to avoid deficits, and to minimize the use of reserves. The Agency completed a separate analysis which provided a 25-year outlook of Renewal and Replacement (R&R) costs, which was incorporated into the long-range financial plan. The R&R Study projected the Agency requires $17 million annually, before inflation impacts, to maintain or replace its water infrastructure; the Agency’s current water rates provide $10-11 million annually for R&R capital projects.

Notice of Public Hearing

On Thursday, May 9, 2022, 2:00 p.m., at the Placer County Water Agency Business Center, 144 Ferguson Road, Auburn, California, the Placer County Water Agency Board of Directors will hold a public hearing to consider increasing rates and charges for the delivery of water to customers in its Western Water System – Zone 6, effective no sooner than January 1, 2023.

1 Customer classifications include: Residential, Commercial, Governmental, Landscape, CIDUWS, Industrial, Construction, Resale, Metered Irrigation, and General Irrigation. To determine the adjustment for your individual rate please identify your existing fixed and variable charges in the attached schedules and compare them to the proposed fixed and variable charges.

How to Protest the Proposed New Rates

The property owner of record or tenant of any parcel subject to these rates and charges can protest these proposed rates and charges by submitting a written protest that may be mailed to Placer County Water Agency, P.O. Box 6570, Auburn, California 95604 or hand-delivered to the Clerk to the Board, Placer County Water Agency, 144 Ferguson Road, Auburn, California. PCWA will receive written protests at or before the time set for the public hearing, which is May 9, 2022, 2:00 p.m., at the Placer County Water Agency Business Center, 144 Ferguson Road, Auburn, California.

The written protest must include the property owner’s or customer of record’s printed name and signature, and a description of the parcel(s) in which they have an ownership interest or bill paying responsibility; the street address and/or assessor’s parcel number are sufficient descriptions. If the party signing the protest is not shown as the parcel owner as per the last equalized assessment roll of Placer County, or, in PCWA’s records as the responsible ratepayer, the protest must contain or be accompanied by written evidence that such party is the owner or responsible ratepayer.

Legal Challenge

Any judicial action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void, validate, or annul an ordinance, resolution, or motion adopting a fee or charge for water service, or modifying or amending an existing fee or charge for water service, shall be commenced within 120 days of the effective date or of the date of the final passage, adoption, or approval of the ordinance, resolution, or motion, whichever is later.

Additional information on the proposed changes in rates for treated and untreated water customers, is available upon request or on PCWA’s website at pcwa.net.

Additional Information

If you have any questions regarding this notice, please call PCWA’s Customer Services Department Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at (530) 823-4850 or (800) 464-0030.

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