TUD Revised Water Rate Plan

Sonora, CA — Tuolumne Utilities District released its revised water rate plan from yesterday’s fiscal committee meeting.

According to the plan T.U.D. had a $1.8 million net income loss in 2010, $3 million in 2011, and $2.2 million in 2012. With this plan, estimating an annual increase in customers of .25%, and many other factors, the “breakeven” target date is set at June 30th 2013.

If approved, starting July 1st, an average monthly bill for customers of $40.56 (or $81.12 TUD currently bill customers every two months) would go up $2.76 per month to $43.32 (or $86.64). July 2013 it could increase another $1.20 per month and July of 2014 another $1.24. Flat rates for all three tiers would increase nearly $3 the first year and then to just over $5 by July 2014. An attached image shows how this rate increase compares to the other rate increases over the past 15 years.

It would take a majority vote of the Board of Directors (three) to approve the new rates.

The previous rate plan was scrapped following an outcry by members of the public. That proposal called for six tiers of rate increases, designed to close a $2 million deficit.

TUD is developing a 20-year-plan to streamline the way that treated water gets to customers. For more read “Too Many Treatment Plants?” here.

T.U.D. employees agreed to changes in employee wages and benefits as reported on March 30th here.

Listen to the November Mother Lode Views interview with Pete Kampa about the proposed water rate increases archived in the multimedia section here.