CVWD set to vote on increasing residents’ monthly water bills by average of $5

The Crescenta Valley Water District’s board of directors is expected to vote on whether or not to approve a 6.9% rate hike, or about $5 per month, during a meeting on Tuesday.

Board members have approved water-rate increases for Crescenta Valley residents annually the past nine years, going from a monthly bill of $111 in 2009 to $154.20 this year for an average single-family residence if the rate hike is approved.

The hikes ranged from 88 cents bimonthly during the 2009-10 fiscal year to $10.25 bimonthly for the 2015-16 fiscal year.

District officials attribute the need for a rate increase to reasons such as increasing water costs, the need to update and maintain existing infrastructure and the decline in water consumption over the past few years.

The district provides water and sewage services to unincorporated La Crescenta, Verdugo City and Montrose, as well as a portion of incorporated La Cañada Flintridge.

The utility serves a population of about 34,000.

The water district relies on imported water from the Metropolitan and Foothill Municipal water districts, and it has to pump water from a source near the Rose Bowl, said Christy Scott, a regulatory and public affairs manager for the utility.

That means the cost for water is higher.

“The amount of energy required to pump water from the [Foothill Municipal Water District] connection near the Rose Bowl to homes in the higher elevations of Crescenta Valley is comparable to pumping required on the 242-mile Colorado River Aqueduct,” said Richard Atwater, board president of the Foothill Municipal Water District in a letter supporting the rate increase.

“Therefore, CVWD has much higher electrical costs for pumping imported water than other comparable cities,” he added.

Some Crescenta Valley residents have been protesting the hike, frustrated with the dent the rate increases cause in their fixed incomes each year.

They say the board should be making more of an effort to think outside the box, instead of defaulting to a water-rate increase.

“You need to invest in water desalinization plants,” according to a letter sent to board members, signed by several La Crescenta residents. “Your Earth is three quarters water, yet water is like gasoline, constantly going up every year with no end in sight … Your plan is to raise the rates year after year. That is no plan.”

Many residents attended a public hearing on June 12 about the proposal.

Board members appeared to be conflicted, saying they didn’t want to increase rates and would prefer a lower percentage rate increase but that there aren’t many alternatives because of increasing costs and the need for an updated system, according to an audio recording of the meeting.

Board member Judy Tejeda said she will vote against the hike, according to the recording.

“I want to leave La Crescenta better than I found it,” said board president James Bodnar in the recording. “I think it’s more painful to raise the rates 16% than 6% in two consecutive years … This motivates me to work even harder to try to keep rates down, but it’s always a balancing act.”

Residents will again have an opportunity to express their opinions about the proposed rate hike during the next Crescenta Valley Water District board meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Scott said it’s more likely the board will adopt a lesser amount than originally proposed.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra