Wachs Learns Culprit for Higher Water Bill--Himself

City Councilman Joel Wachs stood in the council chambers waving his latest Department of Water and Power bill and decrying the outrageous “conservation” surcharges that were tacked onto it.

“I blew my stack when I saw my bill,” Wachs complained.

But, it turns out, the $19.11 extra charge was not for water conservation, but for water waste.

Like about 18% of DWP customers, Wachs was deemed a water waster for using more than his allotment and he was fined accordingly, DWP officials said.

But unaware that he was in violation of the city’s drought ordinance for not cutting his consumption by 15%, Wachs railed on against the DWP’s “hidden surcharges” on Jan. 3 and later voted against a proposed water rate increase.

Wachs asked the DWP to research the matter but the utility found that the councilman had only himself to blame.

However, Wachs still insists that he is using 45% less water than a year ago and continues to complain about “hidden” charges.

DWP officials explained that the councilman had been conserving earlier in the year and had earned “conservation credits.”

But they said that excessive use in the fall months more than wiped out the credits. And when Wachs failed to make up the difference, he was assessed a penalty--at the rate of $3 per billing unit plus 15% of the bill.

Now that might sound like a lot, but it is, after all, the program overwhelmingly approved by the City Council members--including Wachs.

And as for the charge being hidden, James Derry, director of customer service for the DWP said, “it’s as easy as reading the bill.”