Marina del Rey : Water Rate Hike Endorsed

Faced with the prospect of rapidly escalating costs for water, Los Angeles County’s Small Craft Harbor Commission on Wednesday endorsed the first in a series of water-rate increases for customers in Marina del Rey.

The 15% increase will go to the Board of Supervisors for final action. If approved, the rate increase will take effect Feb. 1.

County officials say the increase, from $1.37 to $1.58 per 100 cubic feet of water, is essential to offset the increased cost of water supplied to the marina by the Metropolitan Water District, which imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California.

Representatives of leaseholders who developed the marina’s apartments, hotels, offices, shops, boat slips and restaurants last month objected to the proposed increase. The businesses operate on public land through long-term leases with the county.

Leaseholder representatives said any increase in water rates would decrease the leaseholders’ incomes at a time when the marina is suffering financially because of the recession.

But John Rizzo, president of the Marina Tenants Assn., protested that the county has been subsidizing the leaseholders by not increasing water rates in recent years.

Apart from a major rate increase approved two years ago to fund a long-range program to repair or replace the water system, marina water rates have not risen since 1984, despite a 43% increase in Metropolitan Water District rates.