Countywide : Water Company’s Rates Will Go Up

The typical Southern California Water Co. residential customer will see the monthly bill rise by $2 under a rate increase approved Tuesday by the California Public Utilities Commission.

The 9% increase, set for next week, will affect 36,000 customers in portions of Yorba Linda, Seal Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Placentia, Cypress and Stanton, said Kyle DeVine, spokeswoman for the commission.

The water company sought the increase in order to offset a $561,000 hike in the wholesale water price it pays to the Municipal Water District of Orange County, DeVine said.

The new rate also covers higher taxes the company must pay to help replenish the water supply, she said.

More than $900,000 will be generated by the rate increase, which company officials said was not designed to boost profits.

“This is pure and simple recovering costs,” said Bob Wilkins, public information manager. “When the cost of our water supply increases, we have to turn around and raise our rates.”

Consumer rates will increase 6 cents per 100 cubic feet of water, from 59 cents to about 65 cents. In addition, the surcharge per 100 cubic feet of water will rise to 5 cents.

For an average residential customer who uses 2,500 cubic feet of water a month, the rate will increase from $21.26 to $23.27, DeVine said.