IRVINE : Water District Plan Calls for New Rates

The Irvine Ranch Water District may sharply increase the water costs for customers who use excessive amounts of water and give discounts to residential customers who cut their use by the 20% recommended by the Metropolitan Water District.

This month, the district board of directors will consider scrapping the flat-rate charge for water now used by the district and instituting rates based on how much water customers use.

The board will vote on the proposal April 22. Under the proposed billing system, customers who conserve water will see their rates remain the same or even drop. Customers who use more than 80% of what is considered “average,” however, will be charged doubled rates for amounts above 80% and quadrupled rates for amounts above 150%. Customers who use “abusive” amounts above 200% of average will face a charge of $4.24 per thousand cubic feet--eight times the current rate of 53 cents per thousand cubic feet. A thousand cubic feet is 748 gallons.

If approved by the board, the new rates would take effect in June.

Residential customers will be assigned monthly water allocations considered average for their types of houses, condominiums and apartments. The first 40% of that amount will be billed at 37 cents per 748 gallons, a discount over the current rate. Each 748 gallons used between 40% and 80% will be charged the current rate of 53 cents. Any use beyond that will be charged at the higher rates.

Non-residential customers will have their average-use amounts figured from their actual use between July, 1989, and June, 1990. Those who use 80% of the average will be charged at the current rate. The rate will double for amounts between 81% and 100%, double again for amounts between 101% and 120%, and double again for amounts above that.