Info
SFID Proposed Water Rate Increases
Author: RSF Post
Date: April 07, 2016
March Board Meeting Update: Board voted 3 to 2 (Dirs. King and Gruzdowich opposed), to move forward with rate increase.
May 19, 8:30am Public Hearing to consider rate adjustments: 4 tiers instead of 3 tiers, and rate increases.
- The SFID Board will consider all oral comments on the proposed rate increases. The public is welcome to provide oral comment; however, if one wishes to protest the rate increases, the law requires one must also provide written protest. Written protest must provide printed name, printed property street address or APN, a simple statement that you oppose the proposed rate increases, and your signature. 3,253 written protests must be received by the District, prior to the close of the public portion of the May 19 Public Hearing, to block the proposed rate increases.
- The California Constitution requires a Cost of Service Study (COSS) be prepared, and the final COSS was received at the March Board meeting. (Section 7, Bill Impacts, pp. 53-54 is of particular interest.)
- The required legal notice to be mailed out first of April. It is an eight page document which provides reasons for rate increases, fixed charges, examples of rate impacts, discussion of new pass through charges, rate decreases for separate fire sprinkler meters, and new water demand reduction rates/drought rates.
Proposed Rate Increase Percentages: 9% in FY 2016 + 9% in FY 2017 + 9% in FY 2018
Actual Bill Impacts of Proposed Increases for FY 2016
Please note: FY 2017 & 2018 percentages are not currently known, as one component of 2017 & 2018 increases - the pass through Commodity Charges of the San Diego County Water Authority and Metropolitan Water District - re-adjust January 1 of each year. Potential pass through increases shall not exceed 10% per year.
| Single Family Bi-Monthly Usage | 1" Meter Rate Increase | 1 1/2" Meter Rate Increase | 2" Meter Rate Increase | 3/4" Meter Rate Increase |
| 5 units | 41.1% | 36.2% | 35.3% | 46.8% |
| 15 units | 14.1% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 8.1% |
| 50 units | 0.1% | 7.6% | 13.4% | -4.6% |
| 100 units | 7.1% | 8.9% | 11.0% | 6.1% |
| 150 units | 10.6% | 11.6% | 12.8% | 10.1% |
| 200 units | 16.3% | 17.6% | 19.2% | 15.6% |
| 250 units | 20.5% | 21.3% | 22.3% | 20.1% |
| 300 units | 23.4% | 23.9% | 24.6% | 23.2% |
| Number of customers: | 1,537 | 620 | 62 | 3,201 |
If you are unaware of your meter size, it can be found on your bill. (FYI, Fairbanks Ranch properties have 1" meters; virtually all large size meters service RSF customers; and the vast majority of 3/4" meters service Solana Beach customers.)
You Can Oppose the Proposed Rate Increases: Prop. 218 assumes that ratepayers who provide no response to the proposed rate increases, approve the rate increases. Therefore, written protest must be provided if you do not agree with the proposed rate increases. If 3,253 written protests - a majority of the property owners or tenants - are not received by the end of the May 19 Public Hearing, the SFID Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the rate increases. Below is a sample written protest. Click here to download a printable version.
- Mail protests to: SFID Attn: Rate Hearing, P.O. Box 409, RSF, CA, 92067
- Please note: SFID does not allow you to email, scan or fax your written protest. It must be mailed or dropped off at the District office, 5920 Linea Del Cielo, RSF.
- Only one written protest per identified parcel. If you own more than one property within the District, you may list the separate addresses on a single form, for your convenience.