“I feel that it’s very important that today we take the steps to assure you – our customers – that in the future, there will be water,” she said. Olson said California is facing the worst drought in recent history, and the district needs funds to maintain infrastructure for securing water. He said the district needs to raise fees over a longer period. McCusker said he’s not comfortable switching to water budgets when customers feel the existing rate system is fair. The board voted 4-1 in favor of adopting the changes, with director Justin McCusker voting against. Volzke said the employee cost increase is partly due to new positions required for future projects, such as taking over a waste water plant. ![]() Some attendees acknowledged that the rates and fees hike was overdue, but others criticized the district for planning to increase employee costs by 4 percent each year, while asking customers to take a hit. According to Santa Margarita’s estimate, the average residential customer’s monthly water and sewer bill will increase to $71.56 from $69.01 when the first adjustment takes effect Tuesday. The changes will take place gradually to mitigate impact. ![]() Those who use more water move up in the tiers, with tier 1 being the most efficient and tier 5 being the least, and pay a higher rate per unit of water. ![]() 1, each single-family household will be assigned water budgets based on the number of people in the home, the size of the landscaped area, outdoor evaporation rates and types of plants. The changes also include a new tiered water rate structure based on use. The new rates and fees should allow the district to recoup all of its fixed costs with fixed charges, he said. Current revenue from fixed charges has covered about 40 percent of the district’s fixed costs, Santa Margarita spokesman Jonathan Volzke said. The fees are intended to cover the district’s fixed costs, such as administration, operations and maintenance. In Tabor’s case, his fixed charges are expected to be $50.52 in 2019, up from $15.67 in January. The biggest change for customers will be the increases in fixed water and sewer charges. In addition, Santa Margarita plans to invest in new infrastructure, including a reservoir, to reduce reliance on imported water while repairing and updating existing facilities. 1 by 5 percent, and officials are anticipating further hikes. Faced with a record-setting drought, the MWD raised its water prices Jan. Santa Margarita, which serves 165,000 people in Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita and parts of Mission Viejo and San Clemente, buys water from the wholesaler Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California. Santa Margarita Water District staff will begin working with City of San Juan Capistrano staff immediately to develop a negotiated agreement the two agencies can bring to the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission (OC LAFCO) for consideration and approval later this year.“I just think it’s a lot for a single-family residence,” Tabor said. Is developing the San Juan Watershed project in San Juan Capistrano, which will capture and treat water in San Juan Creek and, through an interagency partnership with South Coast Water District, SMWD will maximize the use of the city’s groundwater recovery plant.Proposed investing more than eight times as much money as their main competitor in the repair and replacement of San Juan Capistrano’s aging sewer and water pipes.Invested in local water supply projects and plans to get 30% of its water from nonimported local sources within the next decade.Has one of the lowest water loss rates in the region. ![]() Among the issues that were important to the public were, Santa Margarita Water District: “We look forward to serving the residents and businesses of San Juan Capistrano.”Īt the council meeting, nearly a dozen San Juan Capistrano residents spoke in support of SMWD’s balanced approach. “We’re pleased that we were selected to enter into these negotiations with the City,” said SMWD General Manager Dan Ferons. Another element in the District’s favor was its stated intent to collaborate with South Coast Water District to efficiently serve the residents of San Juan Capistrano. On Tuesday, February 19, 2019, The San Juan Capistrano City Council voted unanimously to enter exclusive negotiations to transfer the city’s water and sewer utility to Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD).Īfter an extended competitive process, Santa Margarita Water District was determined by the City Council to be the best water district to provide local water supply reliability, rate stability, infrastructure improvements and customer service.
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