A new method of calculating wastewater rates caused a slippery debate at the Lompoc City Council meeting on July 21. Residents and businesses will still be paying based on water usage, Management Services Director Bob Cross explained, and customers who see an increase in cost would’ve seen one under the previous calculations, too.
“I think that they are able to impact their rate faster,” Cross told the council. “Doing a one-year average, it’s a lot easier to make an impact on your bill faster.”
Taking effect on Oct. 1, customers will be billed for the year based on their three-month winter average. Cross said the new calculation and implementation will be simpler than the previous method, which billed based on an average from the past four years.
The new measurement will be recorded between January and April depending on when the customer’s water meter is read. Then the customer will pay that average amount every month for the fiscal year starting in July.
The vote passed 3-2 with Councilmembers Victor Vega and Jeremy Ball dissenting.
The goal is to better determine each customer’s impact on the sewer system. By taking the read in winter months when there’s less landscape irrigation, the measurements are intended to be more accurate reads of the amount of water that ends up in the sewer.
If customers report any leaks during the three months, the city will adjust their rate down to the anticipated usage.
While most customers would see no change or a decrease in cost, staff estimate that around 40 percent will see an increase, according to the staff report. That figure represents residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
Ball asked Cross about the demographics of the residential customers who’ll have to pay more.
“Devil’s in the details,” Ball said. “Is that apartment complexes or individuals? Is that lower income? Median? Do we have any idea about that?”
“We don’t,” Cross replied. “It could be both. It could be apartment complexes. It could be low income. We don’t track customers based on seniors or low income, so I don’t know that data.”
Sharing similar thoughts as Ball, Vega maintained that he couldn’t support the change.
“What do we tell our constituents what to expect? People on fixed income. You guys don’t have them in as a factor,” Vega said. “How would we respond to someone like that? Because your numbers are based on something else other than people.”
During public comment, a volunteer with 805 Undocufund spoke in frustration about residents already struggling with the high cost of living.
“I can’t believe that I’m going to agree with Vega, like great job, Vega. You are thinking of the people,” the commenter said. “Mr. Cross, do you know what type of people live here in the city? Multi-family homes, right? Immigrants, farmworkers, low income. Those are the people that are going to be affected.”
A minimum charge for five units of water remains for all customers, no matter if they use less than that. The rates per unit, circa 2017, will also stay the same: a little more than $9 per unit for residential, $12 for commercial, and $13 for industrial.
Resident Diana Diaz, a “very low water consumer,” said she felt charging a minimum number of units is unfair.
“That’s like punishing people who took to heart our drought issues and use as less as possible,” Diaz said.
Next year Lompoc plans to conduct a rate study because prices haven’t been adjusted for almost a decade. Ball explained that the city needs more revenue to cover the utility.
“I find it somewhat comical because it makes sense [to] turn off your sprinklers, use less water. Bill goes down. And then the mayor’s been telling us to flush the toilet as often as we can, to take more showers,” Ball said.
“Yeah. You’re right,” Mayor Jim Mosby responded. “I am trying to sell more water because we need more money at the plant. We’re either going to make more money by selling more water or raise the rates. So, take your pick.”
