Helix Water District to Hold Public Forum on Proposed 6% Rate Hike

Water rate payers in the could be facing yet another rate hike.

The district will be holding a public hearing at 2 p.m. Aug. 17 at the district headquarters in La Mesa to discuss a proposed 6 percent rate increase. 

The proposal comes atop an 8 percent increase approved by Helix Water District board members in 2010.

Grossmont-Mount Helix Improvement Association (GMIA) president Susan Nichols said that her organization is “deeply concerned” about the proposed hike.

“This definitely will impact our community due to the large lot size and our concerns revolve around the mature foliage in the Grossmont-Mount Helix area,” Nichols said, furthering concern that without adequate water, that dead or dry plants could prove to be a hazard to homes in the upcoming fire season.

“At our household we’ve converted to a drought-tolerant meadow landscape, but that’s a fairly large-scale project and not everyone is capable of doing that type of renovation,” she said. 

“This year the water district has increased its future capital improvement fund by 23 percent.  I’m hopeful they will reconsider and reduce that commitment during these lean times, when most agencies and individuals are tightening their belts.”

The water district, however, said that although the capital improvement plan funds have been expanded, that those funds equate to just 13 percent of its annual budget.

“We’ve actually only increased 2.9 percent from last year,” said Helix Water District Board President De Ana Verbeke.   “Our capital improvement fund is not 23 percent of our budget, but that’s what people are getting the impression of.”

Verbeke, who voted against last year’s increase, said her concern then was that larger lot users would be subsidizing small lot users. This year, however, she said that the rate structure has been changed and that it’s “pretty much flat no matter how many units you’re using where last year it was not,” she said.

“Last year small lot users had an advantage in that their rates were considerably lower, but we’re listening to our customers and trying to do what they say,” Verbeke said. 

“For the average customer who uses 10 units (7,480 gallons) the increase would be six percent.  Large lot customers who are using 200 units (149,600 gallons) would see an increase of 6.5 percent. “

Those wishing to voice their opinion on the matter are encouraged to do so.

“We have to listen to what the customers write in,” she said. “If 50 percent or more protest then we can’t go forward with the rate increase.”

The next board meeting will take place at 2 p.m. July 20 at the district’s headquarters.