Duarte : Water Rate Bid Reduced

The state Public Utilities Commission has granted a rate increase to California American Water Co., but not as much as the company said it needs to construct a $2.5-million water filtration plant in Duarte to treat water taken directly from the San Gabriel River. Cal Am provides water to 6,500 customers in Duarte and Bradbury from eight wells and is seeking methods for treating river water to meet the demands of the Duarte area, where some of its wells have been closed because of pollution, said Cal Am manager Andrew Krueger.

The company requested increases of 31.79%, 19.66% and 21.61% over the next three years, but the PUC authorized increases of only 14.24% this year, 7.04% in 1987 and 3.40% in 1988. The rates, which went into effect Tuesday, reflect an increase to $13.15 from $11.71 for a residential customer using 1,000 cubic feet of water per month.