Auburn – Following a public hearing that attracted a dozen speakers, directors of the Placer County Water Agency on Thursday (Nov. 9) approved increases in the agency’s 2007 water rates, fees and charges, effective Jan. 1.
PCWA Director of Financial Services Joseph Parker said staff recommended the rate adjustments to help the water agency keep up with increasing costs for maintaining good levels of service, rebuilding aging system infrastructure, and paying for rapidly rising costs for construction materials.
PCWA Director of Customer Services John Kingsbury explained the components of the overall water rate, which include the monthly service charge, the water usage charge, the renewal and replacement charge and the state and federal mandated program charge.
Most residential treated water users in Zones 1 will see a $1.08 rise in the basic monthly service charge. For most customers in Zone 3, there is no increase in the basic charge. Customers in both zones will see a 41-cent increase in the charge for state-mandated programs and a $3.50 increase in the system renewal and replacement charge. The water usage charge will depend on actual water usage.
In eastern Placer County, PCWA Zone 4 customers will see a $2.53 monthly service charge increase, a 35-cent increase in the mandated program charge and $2.30 increase in the renewal and replacement charge. The water usage charge will depend on actual water usage.
 Irrigation customers who receive raw water through the PCWA canal system will also see increases in the cost for water service.
 Customers with questions about these and other proposed changes to PCWA’s water rates, fees and charges are invited to contact the PCWA Customer Service Center at (530) 823-4850 or (800) 464-0030.
