SIERRA MADRE : City Votes to Stagger Increase in Water Bills

Responding to an outcry from residents over a 182% increase in water bills to pay for years of undercharging and poor accounting, the City Council has voted unanimously to stagger the increase.

After City Hall was inundated with calls recently after residents received the bills containing new rates, the council decided to delay part of the increase to minimize the financial impact on water users during the hot summer months.

The council voted to rescind the previous increase, which had brought the rate to $2.09 per 100 cubic feet of water. The original price had been 74 cents. Instead, the price was set at $1.39 per 100 cubic feet of water until November. City officials said that amount is needed to make the water department pay its way.

In November, an additional 49-cent surcharge will be added to bills for 10 months. The money collected from this surcharge will pay off a $468,000 loan from Sanwa Bank. Originally, city officials thought this loan would take 12 months to pay off, but high water consumption rates is expected to reduce the time period.

In January, 1997, another surcharge, this one 21 cents, will be applied for five years to pay off a $797,566 loan from the Sewer Department.