HUNTINGTON BEACH : Residents Likely to See Big Hike in Water Bills

Residents later this year might be hit with a double whammy on their monthly water bills.

To help pay for upgrades to the city’s water system and for an increase in the cost of water, residents might have to pay up to $7 a month more, city officials said this week.

The City Council on Monday adopted a plan to make $42.9 million in capital improvements to the water system. To cover the expense, residents could be charged $3 a month to start, increasing annually to a maximum of $5.50 a month.

A public hearing is expected to be held in August to determine the rates residents will pay for the improvements, which includes building three new wells and a reservoir and replacing water pipelines.

The council also will determine how the project will be financed.

In addition, Public Works Director Les M. Jones said that to cover the higher costs to buy water and pay for ongoing operations, maintenance and repair expenses, a water rate increase of up to $4 a month is expected to be proposed to the council in September. The last water rate increase was in July, 1991.

The average residential water bill currently is about $17 a month, Jones said.