CCSD Rate Increases

Introduction

The Cambria Community Services District has proposed increases in the rates you pay for your water and wastewater services. The rate hikes are subject to a protest process, which means that a majority of CCSD customers could block them by submitting objections on or before a public hearing scheduled on October. 4. Ratepayers thus have a crucial role in deciding the CCSD’s financial future, and we think it is important that they study the proposal carefully.

To help you make an informed decision, the Cambrians for Water Steering Committee has prepared a series of short articles explaining the rate proposal in detail. Our view, as you will see later in this series, is that the proposed rates are reasonable in light of the CCSD’s capital needs. But we want you to look at the facts and analysis we present, and then judge for yourselves. 

Part 1: Funding Capital Needs discusses the CCSD’s capital funding programs for the Water and Wastewater system, comparing identified needs to current and past budgeting for them.

Part 2: Fees and Funds Explained identifies the proposed rate increase for each of three separate funds – Water, Wastewater and SWF - SWF – and how much revenue the increases would raise. It also addresses the question of why money can’t be shifted from the CCSD’s tax-supported General Fund instead of raising water and sewer rates.

Part 3: The Economics of Water Conservation looks at the economic factors that push rates higher when water users cut back on consumption.

Part 4: Cambria’s Proposed Rates in Context takes a a look at neighboring districts to see how the new Cambria rates would stack up against the prices paid by other water and sewer customers.

Part 5: Clear Capital Needs – And a Governance Test for the CCSD offers our conclusion, based on our own analysis of the evidence, that the proposed rates are reasonable in light of the capital needs of the Water and Wastewater systems, as well as the need for a relatively modest increase in SWF funding to align revenue better with actual costs.

Closing Thoughts: We hope you have found this series of articles helpful in making your decision about the CCSD’s proposed rate increases. We have taken a close look at this issue because we can see that it is crucial to our own mission – promoting water security.  There can be no water security without a reliable infrastructure, and we will continue to monitor the CCSD to make sure that it gives infrastructure needs the priority they deserve.