HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-14-13 Board Packet 1
OTAY WATER DISTRICT AND
OTAY SERVICE CORPORATION
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DISTRICT BOARDROOM
2554 SWEETWATER SPRINGS BOULEVARD
SPRING VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
TUESDAY
May 14, 2013
3:00 P.M.
AGENDA
1. ROLL CALL
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO
SPEAK TO THE BOARD ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER WITHIN THE BOARD'S
JURISDICTION BUT NOT AN ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA
WORKSHOP
5. ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 4210 TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET; APPROVE FUND TRANSFERS FOR PO-
TABLE, RECYCLED, AND SEWER; APPROVE TEMPORARY REDUCTION IN THE RESERVE LEVEL OF REPLACEMENT FUNDS; ADOPT THE SALARY
SCHEDULE; OBTAIN APPROVAL OF THE DRAFT PROPOSITION 218 RATE IN-
CREASE NOTICES AND DIRECT STAFF TO MAIL THE NOTICES (BEACHEM)
6. ADJOURNMENT
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All items appearing on this agenda, whether or not expressly listed for action, may be deliberated and may be subject to action by the Board.
The Agenda, and any attachments containing written information, are available at the
District’s website at www.otaywater.gov. Written changes to any items to be considered at the open meeting, or to any attachments, will be posted on the District’s website. Copies
of the Agenda and all attachments are also available through the District Secretary by
contacting her at (619) 670-2280.
If you have any disability which would require accommodation in order to enable you to
participate in this meeting, please call the District Secretary at 670-2280 at least 24 hours
prior to the meeting.
Certification of Posting
I certify that on May 10, 2013, I posted a copy of the foregoing agenda near the
regular meeting place of the Board of Directors of Otay Water District, said time being at
least 24 hours in advance of the special meeting of the Board of Directors (Government
Code Section §54954.2).
Executed at Spring Valley, California on May 10, 2013.
/s/ Susan Cruz, District Secretary
.
STAFF REPORT
TYPE MEETING: Special Board Meeting MEETING DATE: May 14, 2013
SUBMITTED BY: Rita Bell, Finance Manager PROJECT: DIV. NO. All
APPROVED BY: (Chief)
Joseph R. Beachem, Chief Financial Officer
German Alvarez, Assistant General Manager
Mark Watton, General Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt Resolution No. 4210 to Approve the FY 2013-2014 Operating and Capital Budget; Approve Fund Transfers for Potable, Recycled, and Sewer; Approve Temporary Reduction in
Reserve Level of Replacement Funds; and Adopt the Salary Schedule; and Obtain Approval of the Draft Proposition 218
Rate Increase Notices and Direct Staff to Mail Notices
GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION:
Option A that the Board:
a) Adopt Resolution No. 4210 of the Board of Directors of Otay Water District to approve the FY 2013-2014 Operating and
Capital Budget and adopt the Salary Schedule.
b) Approve the following fund transfers: Potable:
Replacement Fund to Designated Betterment Fund $540,000 Replacement Fund to Designated Expansion Fund $357,000
Sewer:
General Fund to Designated Betterment Fund $774,000 Potable to Sewer:
Replacement Fund to Designated Expansion Fund $40,000 Replacement Fund to Designated Betterment Fund $221,000 Replacement Fund to Replacement Fund $267,000 c) Approve temporary reduction in the reserve level to
$747,100 below target but remaining above the minimum of the Potable Replacement fund.
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d) Direct staff to prepare and send Proposition 218 notices of the public hearing with proposed rate changes to water and
sewer customers. Authorize the General Manager to make modifications to the notices that he determines are necessary. Option B that the Board:
a) Adopt Resolution No. 4210 of the Board of Directors of Otay Water District to approve the FY 2013-2014 Operating and Capital Budget and adopt the Salary Schedule.
b) Approve the following fund transfers: Potable: Replacement Fund to Designated Betterment Fund $540,000 Replacement Fund to Designated Expansion Fund $782,000
Sewer:
General Fund to Designated Betterment Fund $774,000 Potable to Sewer:
Replacement Fund to Designated Expansion Fund $40,000 Replacement Fund to Designated Betterment Fund $221,000
Replacement Fund to Replacement Fund $267,000 c) Approve temporary reduction in the reserve level to
$1,173,000 below target but remaining above the minimum of the Potable Replacement fund.
d) Direct staff to prepare and send Proposition 218 notices of the public hearing with proposed rate changes to water and
sewer customers. Authorize the General Manager to make modifications to the notices that he determines are
necessary. PURPOSE: To adopt Resolution No. 4210 to approve the FY 2013-2014
Operating and Capital Budget, salary schedule, various fund transfers and approve temporary reduction in the reserve level to $747,100 below target but remaining above the minimum of Potable Replacement Fund under Option A or $1,173,000 under Option B; and to direct staff to prepare and send the five-year
Proposition 218 notices of the public hearing with proposed rate changes based on the Cost of Service study findings as well as
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overall rate increases of 7.5% for Option A or 6.4% for Option B for water and 7.9% for sewer.
BACKGROUND:
Each year the District goes through a rate setting process with new challenges. The process typically begins in January and
ends with the implementation of rates the following January. This year the District underwent a Cost of Service study for both water and sewer rate structures. On March 18, 2013, the Board directed staff to incorporate the findings of this study into the FY 2013-2014 budget process.
The purpose of the Cost of Service study is to ensure the rate
structure considers changes in economic factors; price increases; water use patterns; regulations; infrastructure; and other cost driver changes. Additionally, the Cost of Service
study ensures the rate structure is in compliance with Best Management Practices and industry standards which bring equity
to the rate structure.
Staff has made every effort to present the most realistic set of factors and assumptions based on information received from
various sources including: the wholesale water suppliers, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), CWA, and the City of San Diego; vendors such as SDG&E; and the
economic report prepared by The London Group. These were used along with other economic indicators affecting taxes and
revenues such as inflation and interest rates. This year, San Diego County Water Authority (CWA) is raising
rates by 7.7%, and the District’s water sales are projected to be just 0.2% more than last year’s budget projection. Staff has
prepared the proposed Operating and Capital Budget with the proposed water and sewer rates pending the Proposition 218 hearing for adoption by the Board. DISCUSSION:
This year, the challenges affecting water rates are:
• Ongoing water cost increases by CWA and MWD.
• Weather and economic uncertainties that lead to volatility in water sales.
• The need to maintain the District’s debt coverage ratios and credit rating.
• The funding of capital projects.
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The District has seen the effect of reduced water sales and has
therefore reset the volume sold in each of the tiers based on the Cost of Service study. The focus on the sewer side is on the funding of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) costs, replacing and rehabilitating $11.2 million over the next six years due to new regulatory requirements, and necessary repairs
to the aging system. The following discussion and the attached presentation review these significant issues. Water Costs
FY 2014 has a number of challenges that have an impact on water
rates. The most significant challenge is that the potable water suppliers, CWA and MWD, have a combined rate increase of 7.7%.
Like the District, both of these agencies have experienced lower water sales affecting their bottom line, thus putting more pressure on rates. In addition, the cost of obtaining and
maintaining a secure water supply in the existing environment is driving up the cost of water. Another pressure on rates is the
debt service payments and related coverage requirements. Finally, with lower water sales due to economic conditions, price elasticity, and permanent conservation changes to our
customers water use is spreading the fixed costs over a smaller sales base. All of these factors play a significant role in the
higher cost of water to the District. With water costs representing 52% of the District’s Operating
Budget, any change in the wholesale water price has a significant impact on the overall operating budget. There is an
increase in the budgeted potable water cost of $3,167,200 due to the combined effect of the January 1, 2013 CWA price increase ($1,958,700)and the pending increase in 2014 ($1,208,500).
Debt Coverage and Credit Ratings
The District currently maintains a split AA/AA- credit rating, which is comprised of a ‘AA’ rating from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) and a ‘AA-‘ rating from Fitch Ratings (Fitch). In September 2008, the District received a rating upgrade from S&P to ‘AA‘, from ‘AA-’, as part of their global rating recalibration for
municipal agencies. In March 2012, Fitch lowered their credit rating for the District from ‘AA’ to ‘AA-‘, based on lower-than-budgeted water revenues and a corresponding lower debt coverage ratio. The debt coverage ratio is a ratio of net revenues to debt service. A credit rating is an overall rating that
considers many factors and debt coverage is one of the main financial factors. These ratings are all related to the
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District’s water side of the business. No credit rating is issued for the District’s sewer system.
In association with refinancing the 2004 COPS, the District was required to have a rating update. On May 8, 2013 S&P reaffirmed the ‘AA’ rating, but revised their outlook for the District from “stable” to “negative”. The revised outlook was based on the
District’s financial performance, which was considered good, but weaker than the strong levels reported in prior periods. S&P specifically stated the decline in the debt coverage, which has decreased from 180% or better in prior periods to 132% for fiscal year 2012. This decline is driven primarily by lower-
than-budgeted water sales, an increase in debt service requirements from $4.0 million in 2009 to $7.9 million in fiscal
year 2012, without sufficient rate increases to support a strong coverage ratio.
Neither the Fitch downgrade nor the S&P “negative” outlook is expected to have a negative financial impact on the District at
this time. However, if the debt service coverage ratio were to remain at the current levels the District’s ‘AA’ ratings could be downgraded, which would have a negative financial impact if
the District were to issue debt. The District does not anticipate the need to issue debt in the next six years and,
using the current budget objectives, we project the District’s financial performance will return to strong levels prior to any debt issued beyond six years.
The District historically has a “no growth” debt coverage target
of 150%. The “no growth” debt coverage ratio excludes capacity fees from the net revenues used in the calculation. There is also a 125% minimum debt coverage ratio, as defined in the bond
covenants, which includes growth revenues. The District’s “no growth” debt coverage ratio for fiscal year 2012 was 90%, which
is below target. The bond covenant debt coverage ratio for fiscal year 2012 was 132%, which is above the covenant requirement. With the current budget objectives, it is expected that the District will meet the “no growth” target by 2016 and will be above the covenant level in all years. In the latter
four years of the six-year rate model, rate increases and growth revenues are expected to boost the bond covenant debt coverage ratio to over 200%. Water sales are a significant variable affecting the District’s
financial standing and debt coverage ratio. Daily monitoring of sales is a focus of the District to provide timely information
that enables the District to react as needed.
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Financing Plan
The District uses a comprehensive approach to financing. The
Finance Policy provides guidance on debt issuances and refinancing and the Reserve Policy provides guidance on both fund transfers and reserve balances. With these policies, a six-year financing plan is formulated that identifies the timing and amounts of debt issuances, the level of rate increases, debt
coverage ratios, reserve balances, and necessary transfers. At the current level of potable and recycled CIP expenditures, it is not expected that the District will issue debt in the coming six fiscal years. Future debt issuances are highly
dependent on the rate at which growth returns to the District and how management responds to these variables. Growth is
expected to gradually return and provide funding for CIPs through higher capacity fees. In 2014, the CIP is supported by $2.2 million for Option A or $2.9 million for Option B of the
transfers requested above.
To avoid borrowing from an external lending agency, the District proposes to do a temporary reduction in the reserve level of the Potable Replacement Fund. This temporary reduction brings the
Potable Replacement Fund below the target reserve level, but not below the minimum reserve level as set forth in the District’s
Reserve Policy. With the proposed transfers, temporary reduction in reserve
level, and rate increases the District will be able to maintain all reserve levels at or above target levels in the coming
fiscal years, with the exception of the Replacement Reserves which will be maintained above the minimum reserve level. These actions are consistent with the debt and reserve policies of the
District and will provide sufficient funds to finance capital improvements for FY 2014.
ID 19 and ID 25 Changes
Directed by the Board on March 18, 2013, staff will include in the Proposition 218 process the detachment of Improvement District (ID) 25 and ID 19 and annexation to ID 20 and ID 22,
respectively. The fees are identical for customers in the IDs being annexed and it will streamline the District’s accounting and administration of the IDs. ID 25 has 130 parcels with 25 owners of record and ID 19 has 111
parcels with 87 owners of record. In accordance with Proposition 218, these property owners will be invited to attend
the public hearing in the District’s Boardroom. After public
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comment, the Board will consider two separate resolutions: 1) Detachment of ID 25 and Annexation to ID 20 and 2) Detachment of
ID 19 and Annexation to ID 22. Should the Board adopt the resolutions staff will provide certified copies of the resolutions, a legal map of the description of the IDs along with the appropriate Board of Equalization forms and fees ($300 for each action). In addition, the District must provide a
letter to the County of San Diego’s Auditor & Controller, Property Tax Services Division, and the County of San Diego’s Assessor’s Department, notifying of the change in the fee collections of the IDs with certified copies of the Board resolutions and a legal map of the description of the IDs.
Water Sales
Water sales volumes are based on the most current sales volume (April 2012 through March 2013) which roll in the effects of price elasticity, conservation, economic factors and weather
patterns. Only modest growth figures were included in the fiscal years 2014 through 2019 sales projections, based on meter
sales estimates provided by the Engineering department and an economic forecast provided by an economist. Additionally, the District is projecting a normal rainfall year with normal
temperatures. Based on this forecast no adjustments to projected water sales are recommended.
The January 1, 2014 proposed potable and recycled water increases of 7.5% for Option A, or 6.4% for Option B will
generate additional revenue of $2.3 million for Option A, or $2.0 million for Option B. This, along with the prior year rate
increase and changes in budgeted water sales volume, increase the budgeted water sales by $5.9 million for Option A or $5.6 million for Option B. This increase is required to offset the
increases from CWA, MWD, City of San Diego, and SDG&E. In fact, in Option A, 95% of the overall required budget increase
is due to these budgeted cost increases and only 5% is necessary to fund District reserves and ensure adequate debt coverage. Whereas in Option B, 100% of the overall increase is due to supplier cost increases. The District has been successful in managing and reducing its own internal costs through strategic
planning initiatives. Relative Position to Other Districts Annually, the District performs a survey of the District’s rates compared to other water providers in the county. For many years
the District has remained in the lower half of this comparison. It is expected that all water providers in the county are facing
the same rate pressures by purchasing water from CWA and MWD,
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some to a greater extent than others, depending on the relative dependence on CWA water. The few water districts that have
already commented on their rate increases are looking at implementing rate increases averaging approximately 5.8%. The District’s survey shown in the attached presentation, illustrates an average District customer using 14 units will be charged the ninth lowest rates for Option A and seventh lowest
for Option B compared to the other 24 agencies in the county. Sewer Rates The average sewer rate increase of 7.9% will result in a monthly increase of $2.86 for a typical residential customer. In
addition to this increase, the Cost of Service study had impacted this bill by $3.34. The Cost of Service increase would
have been greater had the Board at the March 18th meeting not decided to phase-in the base fee increase over two years. There are several reasons for the rate increase. The first reason for
the increase is the higher cost from our providers of services including the City of San Diego, the County of San Diego, and
SDG&E, totaling $66,900. This causes 46% of the increase. The balance of the increase is necessary to cover the Operating and CIP costs to implement new regulatory requirements and to
perform major repair work on the aging sewer system. Strategic Planning and Internal Cost Cutting In addition to the budget and rate setting process, the District’s focus on strategic planning has played a positive
role in the financial strength of the District. By managing staffing, automating processes, and implementing Best Management
Practices, the District has become more efficient; therefore, more cost effective. The level of efficiency is demonstrated by its relative rate position among other agencies in the region. Operating Budget
The proposed FY 2013-2014 budget covers CWA’s increases in water costs, effects of flat water sales, supports the Capital Budget, and improves the District’s financial position. The proposed budget presents either an average 7.5% water rate increase for Option A or a 6.4% average rate increase for Option B. For the
sewer customers there is a proposed average increase of 7.9%. For water customers in Option A, the rate model projects the following increases for fiscal years 2015 through 2019: 7.5%, 7.5%, 7.5%, 2.3% and 2.3%. Option B projects the increases for the same years at 6.4%, 10.6%, 5.3%, 3.3% and 3.3%.
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Rate Implementation - Water
A rate increase of either 7.5% for Option A or the 6.4% for
Option B is being proposed for both potable and recycled customers. This average increase is composed of a number of changes to various rates at differing amounts. An increase in the variable water rate of 7.7% for Option A or a 6.0% for Option B is proposed for all classes of potable customers. The
energy charge for pumping is proposed to increase by 13.7% to reflect the anticipated four separate rate increases proposed by SDG&E in FY 2014. The MWD and CWA pass-through fee is proposed to increase by 12.6% to collect the fixed costs charged to the District by our water providers to match MWD and CWA fixed costs
with the fixed revenue for this charge. The total components of MWD and CWA fixed charges are shown below:
Customer Service Charge $1,753,600
Emergency Storage Charge $4,515,500 Infrastructure Access Charge $1,856,100 Capacity Reservation Charge $ 531,000 Readiness-to-Serve Charge $1,740,500
Total MWD & CWA Fixed Charges $10,396,700
There will be no rate increase applied to the District’s fixed system fee but due to the cost of service study findings there will be a reduction in this fee of $0.55 for a single-family
residence. This change is being made based on the Cost of Service study’s recommendation to adjust the meter
equivalencies, which is based on the flow volume of each meter size, and is in accordance with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) industry standard. The District’s system fee
covers a portion of the fixed cost to operate and maintain the system. The District has been diligent in reducing costs and
increasing efficiency, enabling the District to not increase this fee for the past three out of four fiscal years.
The combination of the increase in the District’s MWD and CWA fixed fees and the District’s system fees brings the District’s
overall fixed revenues close to the 30% maximum recommended by Best Management Practices (BMP) 1.4. This maximum is recommended in order to promote conservation. It is important for the District to remain close to this maximum of fixed fees to maintain revenue stability, while at the same time promoting
conservation with close to 70% variable revenues. The same percentage increase of 7.7% for Option A or 6.0% for Option B is recommended for the variable recycled water rates with no change to the system fee. Recycled water rates are set
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at 85% of the potable irrigation rate in order to maximize the recycled rebates and in accordance with our recycled rebate
agreement with CWA. The individual component rates discussed above have an average effect of increasing the total water bill by 7.5% for Option A or 6.4% for Option B. Rate Implementation - Sewer
In FY 2013, a 7.9% sewer rate increase was projected for 2014 based on cost estimates at the time. The recommended rate increase is again 7.9%. The sewer system remains relatively unchanged when it comes to the number of customers and operating and maintenance costs. The primary cause of necessary rate
increases is implementing new regulatory requirements and the replacement and rehabilitation of capital projects over the next
six years. Budgeted Revenues
Projected water revenues, as compared to last year’s budget, include an increase in potable water revenues of 8.5% for Option
A or 8.0% for Option B. There is an increase in recycled water revenues of 8.3% for Option A or 7.9% for Option B. This increase is due to the combination of the prior year’s 7.4% and
this year’s proposed rate increase options. The increase in sales volume (0.2% for potable and 1.3% for recycled) and a
slight change between potable and recycled customers, based on the Cost of Service study also have a minor effect on potable and recycled revenues.
The sewer budgeted revenues are projected to increase 5.7% over
last year’s budget due to the past year overall rate increase of 7.9% plus this year’s proposed increase of 7.9%. The majority of the differential is tied to the phase-in of the cost of
service changes. Sewer revenues are affected by customer’s water use patterns, the need to fund reserves, and the drawing
of General Fund balances. Other changes in the Operating Revenues include the following:
• Capacity Fee Revenues funding operating expenses are
expected to increase by 13.1% due to more work in the planning areas.
• Betterment Fee Revenues are expected to increase by 9.7%
due to the increase in workload of operating projects funded by these fees.
• Property Tax Revenues are expected to remain relatively flat.
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• Grant Revenues of $20,000 are being eliminated due to lack of funding availability. This reduction is offset by
decreases in the incentives budget.
• Decrease in miscellaneous revenues of $68,000 is due mainly to the completion of the AMR meter replacement and the
associated revenues from the sale of scrap metal from old meters. Expenses
In the proposed budget, potable water costs are projected to
increase $3,167,200 over last year’s budget due to the MWD and CWA January 1, 2013 price increase ($1,208,500) and the pending
increase in 2014 ($1,958,700). The total increase in the variable potable water costs is expected to be $2,476,700. This is due to the increase in the price component of $40 per acre-
foot. The fixed costs paid to MWD and CWA are projected to increase by $690,500. Recycled water variable costs are
expected to increase by $95,500. Again, in this year’s budget, the “take or pay” component of the contractual agreement with the City of San Diego is expected to cost the District an
additional $93,800, totaling $559,100. The remaining increase is due to a minimal volume change causing the purchases cost to
increase by $1,700. Sewer costs are expected to increase by $49,100 due to increases in charges from our service providers, $13,700 from the City of San Diego – Wastewater Department and $35,400 from the Spring
Valley Sanitation District (County of San Diego). Power costs for water and sewer are budgeted to increase by $325,300 or 13.7% due to four individual anticipated increases by SDG&E. SDG&E plans to bring forward their rate case to the
Public Utilities Commission (PUC) which has been delayed for a year and a half. This delay further affects their need to increase their power rates. The shutdown of San Onofre, increase in natural gas prices, and the planned increases in the transmission rate make up the balance of the planned increases.
The District’s ongoing effort by staff to operate at non-peak and semi-peak hours at lower rates will help manage energy costs
and offset some of the cost increases. The District has, through strategic planning, reduced the FTE
count from 174.75 to 143 FTE or 18.2% since FY 2007, saving the District $4,213,800 in FY 2014 alone. In addition, the District
will recognize future saving in pension costs with the reduced staffing level. Labor and benefits costs are expected to
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decrease by $180,700 or 1.0%. These changes are due to the following:
• Reduction of five FTEs resulting in a decrease of $519,900.
• Decrease in overtime of $58,800.
• Decrease in the Vacation/Sick/Holiday accrual balances, Social Security and other benefit costs of $190,600.
• Decrease in Pay for Performance of $105,000 due to the
suspension of the program.
• Increase in the salaries and benefits due to in-range
salary adjustments consistent with the Memorandum of Understanding of $129,300.
• Increase in health insurance costs of $121,500.
• Decrease of charges to CIP projects shifting costs to the operating budget increases cost by $553,600 for labor and benefits and associated overhead allocation. This is
partially offset by increases in Capacity Fee Revenue earned by the Operating Fund for general planning projects.
The funding of the OPEB (Other Post Employee Benefits) liability
was initiated with a transfer to the OPEB Trust in March of 2008 and has since been funded at an accelerated rate by not only paying the Annual Required Contribution (ARC) but also by paying the retiree medical premiums. There are multiple benefits of this practice which continues to be incorporated into the
District’s budgets. First, the Trust has a greater rate of return due to the longer investment time horizon. This reduces the District’s overall financial burden. Second, the funding of the Trust reduces the ARC expense, decreasing the need to raise rates in order to maintain the District’s debt coverage ratio.
The funding of the retiree premiums has the net effect of funding the Trust, as the Trust is relieved of the obligation to cover that cost. Historically, this cost has been funded through the District’s internally held OPEB reserve. With the drawdown of that reserve, this item will now be shown in the
operating budget as a Funding of the OPEB Trust. A change in this funding strategy that would reduce the contributions would
put upward pressure on future rates. While the General Manager has authority to set salaries pursuant
to 2.01 of the Code of Ordinances, recent legislation, namely California Code of Regulations (CCR) section 570.5, adopted and
effective August 10, 2011, as well as a CalPERS circular letter clarifying section 570.5, require information regarding the compensation of public employees to be publicly available.
Thus, in order to be in compliance with CCR 570.5, the District
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is required to have a publicly available salary schedule that “has been duly approved and adopted by the employer’s governing
body in accordance with requirements of applicable public meeting laws.” As such, a copy of the Job Classification and Salary Schedule is included herein for Board approval (Exhibit II). Although District salaries are already made public as a part of our NeoGov recruitment system, this salary schedule will
be retained for public inspection for the required five years and posted to the District’s webpage per requirements of CalPERS. Please note that making such information publicly available does not in any way interfere with or change the General Manager’s authority to set salaries pursuant to the
authority granted to him. Accordingly, and consistent with such authority, the Board is requested to authorize the General
Manager to update the salary schedule whenever necessary to reflect changes made within his authority.
The administrative expenses will increase by 5.8% or $277,700
due to the following factors:
• Decrease in Regulatory Agency fees of $54,300.
• Decrease in Conservation Incentives of $21,000.
• Decrease in Technology Hardware and Software of $26,100.
• Increase in Property Liability Insurance of $35,200.
• Increase in outside services of $180,300 for one-time projects in water conservation, a planned water and sewer
capacity fee study, and a condition assessment study for the Otay River Trestle.
• Increase in postage for mailing the Proposition 218 notices
of $24,600.
• Increase in bank fees of $73,700 offset by a decrease in bad debt expense of $23,300. The materials and maintenance budget will experience an overall
decrease of 10.6% or $264,100. The major factors are:
• Decrease in Meters and Materials of $53,100.
• Decrease in Chemicals expenses totaling $47,900.
• Increase in Contracted Services of $24,100 due mostly to
increase in as needed paving and maintenance service for the collection system equipment.
• Decrease in Infrastructure Equipment and Supplies of
$87,500.
• Decrease in the fuel budget of $72,100 due to implementing fuel efficiency measures and stabilizing fuel costs.
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The requested transfers serve the purpose of ensuring the reserves are funded at target levels, in accordance with the
Reserve Policy. There are two types of transfers the District can make. The first is the use of operating revenues to fund reserves, and these are shown in the operating budget. The second type of transfer is between funds meant to rebalance funds to target levels. The total of the fund to fund transfers
requested separately in this staff report, total $2.2 million for Option A or $2.9 million for Option B. Within this total there are two transfers that are repayments of the loan made by the sewer funds to the potable funds in FY 2009. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget As a component of the annual budget development process, the
Engineering staff updates the CIP Budget. This year, the total six-year CIP Budget is decreasing by $38.2 million from last year’s CIP. This decrease is a result of completing many CIP
projects, delays in developer projects, reprioritizing of some projects, and increasing emphasis upon water supply projects.
The following process is used to prepare the CIP Budget:
• CIP projects selected are based on the Water Resources
Master Plan (WRMP), the Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), Sub Area Master Plan (SAMP), Integrated Water Resources Plan (IRP), Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP), and other focused or specific planning documents and reports.
• The CIP goes through an iterative process to meet the
criteria of growth, service levels, supply targets, and system requirements.
• CIP target expenditures for the next six years are refined
and used in the rate model.
The following general criteria are used to determine the reasonableness of a project before it is considered for inclusion within the CIP Budget:
• Existing facility conditions.
• Operating system conditions.
• Water and sewer system deficiencies.
• Regulatory and permitting requirements.
• Developer driven requirements.
• Economic outlook.
• Growth projections.
• Water supply diversification goals.
• Board and management directives.
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This year, the CIP Budget includes the following amounts by project category. Project details within each of the categories
are located in Exhibit I under the Capital Budget tab.
Capital Backbone $ 4.4 Developer Reimbursement 0.1 Replacement and Renewal 7.7
Capital Purchases 1.6 Total (millions) $13.8 There are a total of 77 projects in the current six-year CIP plan. Each project is listed in the FY 2013-2014 Preliminary
Operating and Capital Budget (Exhibit I). The total six-year cost of the 63 projects plus 14 additional projects budgeted in
FY 2015 through 2019 is $107.1 million. Sewer CIP includes $11,150,000 of rehabilitation and main
replacement projects starting in FY 2014 and finishing in FY 2019. In order to fund these projects, the Sewer Fund will need
to issue debt beginning in FY 2015. The District has identified the State Revolving Fund (SRF) as a beneficial lending facility. The SRF is a low interest loan offered by the State Water
Resources Control Board (SWRCB) for the construction of publicly-owned wastewater activities. To ensure the District
qualifies for this loan program in FY 2015, staff will begin reviewing the conditions of the SRF loan program and related sewer projects with the SWRCB in FY 2013. Rate Alternative – Water Option B An alternative rate option that does not avoid the rate spike caused by CWA’s Carlsbad Desal project has also been evaluated.
The resulting option is shown below in comparison with Option A.
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Option A 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 2.3 2.3 Option B 6.4 6.4 10.6 5.3 3.3 3.3 The debt coverage remains above target beginning in 2015 for
both options. The debt coverage ratio at the end of the six-year rate model is the same under either option. In the interim years, the debt coverage ratio of Option B is lower. Due to the delayed revenue stream this results in:
1. A short term bank borrowing in 2017 of $2.6 million
lasting 2.5 years.
16
2. Reduced reserves by $3.1 million at the end of the six-
year rate model period.
3. A delay of returning to target in the Replacement Reserve
of approximately 1.5 years.
FISCAL IMPACT: Joseph R. Beachem, Chief Financial Officer
A six-year rate modeling effort is one of the ways the District
can better educate its customers, minimize financial risks, reduce rate impacts, and establish fiscal strength.
The recommended balanced operating budget totals $86.1 million for Option A or $85.8 million for Option B. The recommended CIP
budget is $13.8 million. With budget approval, the District will move forward into FY 2014 with clear financial direction
and with rates that will rebuild the District’s financial strength.
Average water rate increases of 7.5% for Option A or 6.4% for Option B are recommended for all water services billed beginning
January 1, 2014, and may include water used as early as December 1, 2013 depending on the billing cycle. Average sewer rate increases of 7.9% are recommended for all sewer services billed
beginning January 1, 2014, and may include service provided as early as December 1, 2013 depending on the billing cycle. This
budget with the recommended transfers provides sufficient funding to pay increased water costs; continues funding for the District’s administration, maintenance, and operations;
strengthens the District’s financial position; and is consistent with the Strategic Plan and Reserve Policy.
STRATEGIC OUTLOOK:
The District ensures its continued financial health through long-term financial planning and debt planning.
LEGAL IMPACT:
None.
Attachments:
A) Resolution No. 4210 Exhibit I – FY 2013-14 Preliminary Operating and Capital Budget
Exhibit II – Job Classification and Salary Schedule
17
B) Economic Overview C) FY 2013-14 Budget Presentation
D) Option A Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Residential Water E) Option A Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Multi-Residential Water F) Option A Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Public and Commercial Water
G) Option A Draft Proposition 218 Notice - Landscape, Agricultural & Construction Water H) Option A Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Recycled Water I) Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Residential Sewer J) Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Commercial Sewer
K) Draft Proposition 218 Notice – ID 19 L) Draft Proposition 218 Notice – ID 25
M) Option B Budget Presentation Slides N) Option B Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Residential Water O) Option B Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Multi-Residential
Water P) Option B Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Public and
Commercial Water Q) Option B Draft Proposition 218 Notice - Landscape, Agricultural & Construction Water
R) Option B Draft Proposition 218 Notice – Recycled Water
Page 1 of 2
RESOLUTION NO. 4210
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
OTAY WATER DISTRICT ADOPTING THE
FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET AND
SALARY SCHEDULE
WHEREAS, the Otay Water District Board of Directors have
been presented with a budget for the operation of the Otay Water
District for Fiscal Year 2013-2014; and
WHEREAS, the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Operating and Capital
Budget, has been reviewed and considered by the Board;
WHEREAS, it is in the interest of the District to adopt a
budget for said year;
WHEREAS, in connection with the adoption of the budget, the
Board is also being presented with a listing of job
classifications and salary schedule for its consideration, in
order to comply with California Code of Regulations Section
570.5,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, DETERMINED AND ORDERED by
the Board of Directors of the Otay Water District that the
Operating and Capital Budget for the operation of the District,
incorporated herein by reference, is hereby adopted as the
District’s budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board hereby approves and
adopts the salary schedule included with the budget and,
Attachment A
Page 2 of 2
consistent with his authority over employee compensation under
both State law and the District’s Code of Ordinances, authorizes
the General Manager to update the salary schedule whenever
necessary to reflect changes made within his authority.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of
Otay Water District at a special board meeting held this 14th
day of May 2013, by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Abstain:
Absent:
________________________
President
ATTEST:
____________________________
District Secretary
AGENDA ITEM 5, Exhibit 1
PRELIMINARY OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET
Fiscal Year 2013-2014
Has been posted as a separate attachment on the Otay Water District
Website.
OTAY WATER DISTRICT
Job Classification and Salary Schedule
Effective July 1, 2013
Position
Exempt (E)
Non‐Exempt
(NE)
Salary
Grade Min Mid Max Min Mid Max Min Mid Max
Accountant NE 25 $32.6897 $36.7758 $40.8620 $5,666.21 $6,374.47 $7,082.74 $67,994.58 $76,493.66 $84,992.87
Accounting Technician NE 20 $25.6132 $28.8148 $32.0164 $4,439.62 $4,994.57 $5,549.51 $53,275.46 $59,934.78 $66,594.14
Assistant Buyer NE 19 $24.3936 $27.4427 $30.4918 $4,228.22 $4,756.73 $5,285.25 $50,738.69 $57,080.82 $63,422.99
Assistant Civil Engineer I NE 25 $32.6897 $36.7758 $40.8620 $5,666.21 $6,374.47 $7,082.74 $67,994.58 $76,493.66 $84,992.87
Assistant Civil Engineer II E 27 $36.0404 $40.5453 $45.0503 $6,247.00 $7,027.85 $7,808.72 $74,964.03 $84,334.22 $93,704.64
Assistant General Manager E 43 $78.6716 $88.5054 $98.3392 $13,636.41 $15,340.94 $17,045.46 $163,636.93 $184,091.23 $204,545.54
Assistant Survey Technician NE 19 $24.3936 $27.4427 $30.4918 $4,228.22 $4,756.73 $5,285.25 $50,738.69 $57,080.82 $63,422.99
Associate Civil Engineer E 32 $45.9977 $51.7473 $57.4969 $7,972.93 $8,969.53 $9,966.13 $95,675.22 $107,634.38 $119,593.50
Business Systems Analyst I E 25 $32.6897 $36.7758 $40.8620 $5,666.21 $6,374.47 $7,082.74 $67,994.58 $76,493.66 $84,992.87
Business Systems Analyst II E 29 $39.7345 $44.7012 $49.6680 $6,887.31 $7,748.21 $8,609.11 $82,647.76 $92,978.50 $103,309.37
Chief Financial Officer E 40 $67.9595 $76.4543 $84.9743 $11,779.65 $13,252.08 $14,728.88 $141,355.76 $159,024.94 $176,746.54
Chief Information Officer E 40 $67.9595 $76.4543 $84.9743 $11,779.65 $13,252.08 $14,728.88 $141,355.76 $159,024.94 $176,746.54
Chief, Administrative Services E 40 $67.9595 $76.4543 $84.9743 $11,779.65 $13,252.08 $14,728.88 $141,355.76 $159,024.94 $176,746.54
Chief, Engineering E 40 $67.9595 $76.4543 $84.9743 $11,779.65 $13,252.08 $14,728.88 $141,355.76 $159,024.94 $176,746.54
Chief, Water Operations E 40 $67.9595 $76.4543 $84.9743 $11,779.65 $13,252.08 $14,728.88 $141,355.76 $159,024.94 $176,746.54
Communications Officer E 30 $41.7212 $46.9363 $52.1514 $7,231.67 $8,135.63 $9,039.57 $86,780.10 $97,627.50 $108,474.83
Confidential Executive Secretary NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Confidential Secretary NE 18 $23.2320 $26.1359 $29.0398 $4,026.88 $4,530.22 $5,033.57 $48,322.56 $54,362.67 $60,402.85
Construction Inspector I NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Construction Inspector II NE 24 $31.1330 $35.0246 $38.9161 $5,396.39 $6,070.93 $6,745.47 $64,756.64 $72,851.17 $80,945.59
Construction Management Specialist E 32 $45.9977 $51.7473 $57.4969 $7,972.93 $8,969.53 $9,966.13 $95,675.22 $107,634.38 $119,593.50
Customer Service Field Representative I NE 16 $21.0721 $23.7060 $26.3400 $3,652.50 $4,109.04 $4,565.60 $43,829.97 $49,308.48 $54,787.16
Customer Service Field Representative II NE 18 $23.2320 $26.1359 $29.0398 $4,026.88 $4,530.22 $5,033.57 $48,322.56 $54,362.67 $60,402.85
Customer Service Manager E 31 $43.8073 $49.2831 $54.7589 $7,593.27 $8,542.40 $9,491.55 $91,119.18 $102,508.85 $113,898.58
Customer Service Representative I NE 16 $21.0721 $23.7060 $26.3400 $3,652.50 $4,109.04 $4,565.60 $43,829.97 $49,308.48 $54,787.16
Customer Service Representative II NE 18 $23.2320 $26.1359 $29.0398 $4,026.88 $4,530.22 $5,033.57 $48,322.56 $54,362.67 $60,402.85
Database Administrator E 32 $45.9977 $51.7473 $57.4969 $7,972.93 $8,969.53 $9,966.13 $95,675.22 $107,634.38 $119,593.50
Disinfection Technician NE 23 $29.6505 $33.3568 $37.0630 $5,139.42 $5,781.85 $6,424.25 $61,673.04 $69,382.14 $77,091.04
District Secretary E 29 $39.7345 $44.7012 $49.6680 $6,887.31 $7,748.21 $8,609.11 $82,647.76 $92,978.50 $103,309.37
Electrician I NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Electrician II NE 24 $31.1330 $35.0246 $38.9161 $5,396.39 $6,070.93 $6,745.47 $64,756.64 $72,851.17 $80,945.59
Engineering Manager E 37 $58.7060 $66.0441 $73.3822 $10,175.71 $11,447.64 $12,719.58 $122,108.48 $137,371.73 $152,634.98
Engineering Technician NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Environmental Compliance Specialist E 28 $37.8424 $42.5726 $47.3028 $6,559.35 $7,379.25 $8,199.16 $78,712.19 $88,551.01 $98,389.87
Equipment Mechanic I NE 18 $23.2320 $26.1359 $29.0398 $4,026.88 $4,530.22 $5,033.57 $48,322.56 $54,362.67 $60,402.85
Equipment Mechanic II NE 21 $26.8939 $30.2556 $33.6172 $4,661.61 $5,244.30 $5,826.99 $55,939.31 $62,931.65 $69,923.85
Executive Secretary NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Facilities Maintenance Technician NE 19 $24.3936 $27.4427 $30.4918 $4,228.22 $4,756.73 $5,285.25 $50,738.69 $57,080.82 $63,422.99
Finance Manager, Controller & Budget E 35 $53.2481 $59.9039 $66.5598 $9,229.67 $10,383.34 $11,537.03 $110,756.05 $124,600.11 $138,444.38
Finance Manager, Treasury & Accounting E 35 $53.2481 $59.9039 $66.5598 $9,229.67 $10,383.34 $11,537.03 $110,756.05 $124,600.11 $138,444.38
Fleet Maintenance Supervisor E 28 $37.8424 $42.5726 $47.3028 $6,559.35 $7,379.25 $8,199.16 $78,712.19 $88,551.01 $98,389.87
Hourly Monthly Annually
Ex
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i
b
i
t
II
OTAY WATER DISTRICT
Job Classification and Salary Schedule
Effective July 1, 2013
Position
Exempt (E)
Non‐Exempt
(NE)
Salary
Grade Min Mid Max Min Mid Max Min Mid Max
Hourly Monthly Annually
General Manager* E N/A $215,212.61
GIS Analyst E 25 $32.6897 $36.7758 $40.8620 $5,666.21 $6,374.47 $7,082.74 $67,994.58 $76,493.66 $84,992.87
GIS Manager E 34 $50.7124 $57.0514 $63.3903 $8,790.15 $9,888.91 $10,987.65 $105,481.79 $118,666.91 $131,851.82
GIS Programmer Analyst E 27 $36.0404 $40.5453 $45.0503 $6,247.00 $7,027.85 $7,808.72 $74,964.03 $84,334.22 $93,704.64
GIS Technician NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Human Resources Analyst E 25 $32.6897 $36.7758 $40.8620 $5,666.21 $6,374.47 $7,082.74 $67,994.58 $76,493.66 $84,992.87
Human Resources Manager E 35 $53.2481 $59.9039 $66.5598 $9,229.67 $10,383.34 $11,537.03 $110,756.05 $124,600.11 $138,444.38
Human Resources Technician NE 21 $26.8939 $30.2556 $33.6172 $4,661.61 $5,244.30 $5,826.99 $55,939.31 $62,931.65 $69,923.85
Information Technology Manager E 35 $53.2481 $59.9039 $66.5598 $9,229.67 $10,383.34 $11,537.03 $110,756.05 $124,600.11 $138,444.38
Inspection Supervisor E 28 $37.8424 $42.5726 $47.3028 $6,559.35 $7,379.25 $8,199.16 $78,712.19 $88,551.01 $98,389.87
Laboratory Analyst NE 25 $32.6897 $36.7758 $40.8620 $5,666.21 $6,374.47 $7,082.74 $67,994.58 $76,493.66 $84,992.87
Lead Business Systems Analyst E 32 $45.9977 $51.7473 $57.4969 $7,972.93 $8,969.53 $9,966.13 $95,675.22 $107,634.38 $119,593.50
Lead Customer Service Field Representative NE 21 $26.8939 $30.2556 $33.6172 $4,661.61 $5,244.30 $5,826.99 $55,939.31 $62,931.65 $69,923.85
Lead Customer Service Representative NE 21 $26.8939 $30.2556 $33.6172 $4,661.61 $5,244.30 $5,826.99 $55,939.31 $62,931.65 $69,923.85
Lead Meter Maintenance/Cross Conn Worker NE 24 $31.1330 $35.0246 $38.9161 $5,396.39 $6,070.93 $6,745.47 $64,756.64 $72,851.17 $80,945.59
Lead Reclamation Plant Operator NE 26 $34.3242 $38.6146 $42.9051 $5,949.53 $6,693.20 $7,436.88 $71,394.34 $80,318.37 $89,242.51
Lead Warehouse/Facilities Worker NE 23 $29.6505 $33.3568 $37.0630 $5,139.42 $5,781.85 $6,424.25 $61,673.04 $69,382.14 $77,091.04
Lead Water Systems Operator NE 26 $34.3242 $38.6146 $42.9051 $5,949.53 $6,693.20 $7,436.88 $71,394.34 $80,318.37 $89,242.51
Meter Maintenance Worker I NE 18 $23.2320 $26.1359 $29.0398 $4,026.88 $4,530.22 $5,033.57 $48,322.56 $54,362.67 $60,402.85
Meter Maintenance Worker II NE 21 $26.8939 $30.2556 $33.6172 $4,661.61 $5,244.30 $5,826.99 $55,939.31 $62,931.65 $69,923.85
Network Analyst E 26 $34.3242 $38.6146 $42.9051 $5,949.53 $6,693.20 $7,436.88 $71,394.34 $80,318.37 $89,242.51
Network Engineer E 31 $43.8073 $49.2831 $54.7589 $7,593.27 $8,542.40 $9,491.55 $91,119.18 $102,508.85 $113,898.58
Office Assistant NE 15 $20.0686 $22.5772 $25.0857 $3,478.56 $3,913.38 $4,348.19 $41,742.69 $46,960.58 $52,178.25
Permit Technician NE 20 $25.6132 $28.8148 $32.0164 $4,439.62 $4,994.57 $5,549.51 $53,275.46 $59,934.78 $66,594.14
Pump Mechanic I NE 19 $24.3936 $27.4427 $30.4918 $4,228.22 $4,756.73 $5,285.25 $50,738.69 $57,080.82 $63,422.99
Pump Mechanic II NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Pump/Electrical Supervisor E 28 $37.8424 $42.5726 $47.3028 $6,559.35 $7,379.25 $8,199.16 $78,712.19 $88,551.01 $98,389.87
Purchasing & Facilities Manager E 35 $53.2481 $59.9039 $66.5598 $9,229.67 $10,383.34 $11,537.03 $110,756.05 $124,600.11 $138,444.38
Reclamation Plant Operator I NE 19 $24.3936 $27.4427 $30.4918 $4,228.22 $4,756.73 $5,285.25 $50,738.69 $57,080.82 $63,422.99
Reclamation Plant Operator II NE 21 $26.8939 $30.2556 $33.6172 $4,661.61 $5,244.30 $5,826.99 $55,939.31 $62,931.65 $69,923.85
Reclamation Plant Operator III NE 23 $29.6505 $33.3568 $37.0630 $5,139.42 $5,781.85 $6,424.25 $61,673.04 $69,382.14 $77,091.04
Reclamation Plant Supervisor E 30 $41.7212 $46.9363 $52.1514 $7,231.67 $8,135.63 $9,039.57 $86,780.10 $97,627.50 $108,474.83
Recycled Water Distribution Operator I NE 19 $24.3936 $27.4427 $30.4918 $4,228.22 $4,756.73 $5,285.25 $50,738.69 $57,080.82 $63,422.99
Recycled Water Distribution Operator II NE 21 $26.8939 $30.2556 $33.6172 $4,661.61 $5,244.30 $5,826.99 $55,939.31 $62,931.65 $69,923.85
Recycled Water Distribution Operator III NE 23 $29.6505 $33.3568 $37.0630 $5,139.42 $5,781.85 $6,424.25 $61,673.04 $69,382.14 $77,091.04
Recycled Water System Supervisor E 30 $41.7212 $46.9363 $52.1514 $7,231.67 $8,135.63 $9,039.57 $86,780.10 $97,627.50 $108,474.83
Safety and Security Specialist E 30 $41.7212 $46.9363 $52.1514 $7,231.67 $8,135.63 $9,039.57 $86,780.10 $97,627.50 $108,474.83
SCADA/Instrumentation Technician NE 25 $32.6897 $36.7758 $40.8620 $5,666.21 $6,374.47 $7,082.74 $67,994.58 $76,493.66 $84,992.87
Secretary NE 18 $23.2320 $26.1359 $29.0398 $4,026.88 $4,530.22 $5,033.57 $48,322.56 $54,362.67 $60,402.85
Senior Accountant E 28 $37.8424 $42.5726 $47.3028 $6,559.35 $7,379.25 $8,199.16 $78,712.19 $88,551.01 $98,389.87
Senior Buyer NE 23 $29.6505 $33.3568 $37.0630 $5,139.42 $5,781.85 $6,424.25 $61,673.04 $69,382.14 $77,091.04
OTAY WATER DISTRICT
Job Classification and Salary Schedule
Effective July 1, 2013
Position
Exempt (E)
Non‐Exempt
(NE)
Salary
Grade Min Mid Max Min Mid Max Min Mid Max
Hourly Monthly Annually
Senior Civil Engineer E 34 $50.7124 $57.0514 $63.3903 $8,790.15 $9,888.91 $10,987.65 $105,481.79 $118,666.91 $131,851.82
Senior Confidential Executive Secretary E 24 $31.1330 $35.0246 $38.9161 $5,396.39 $6,070.93 $6,745.47 $64,756.64 $72,851.17 $80,945.59
Senior Disinfection Technician NE 24 $31.1330 $35.0246 $38.9161 $5,396.39 $6,070.93 $6,745.47 $64,756.64 $72,851.17 $80,945.59
Senior Engineering Technician NE 24 $31.1330 $35.0246 $38.9161 $5,396.39 $6,070.93 $6,745.47 $64,756.64 $72,851.17 $80,945.59
Senior Human Resources Analyst E 30 $41.7212 $46.9363 $52.1514 $7,231.67 $8,135.63 $9,039.57 $86,780.10 $97,627.50 $108,474.83
Senior SCADA/Instrumentation Technician NE 28 $37.8424 $42.5726 $47.3028 $6,559.35 $7,379.25 $8,199.16 $78,712.19 $88,551.01 $98,389.87
Senior Utility/Equipment Operator NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Senior Water Conservation Specialist E 24 $31.1330 $35.0246 $38.9161 $5,396.39 $6,070.93 $6,745.47 $64,756.64 $72,851.17 $80,945.59
Supervising Land Surveyor E 29 $39.7345 $44.7012 $49.6680 $6,887.31 $7,748.21 $8,609.11 $82,647.76 $92,978.50 $103,309.37
Survey Technician NE 25 $32.6897 $36.7758 $40.8620 $5,666.21 $6,374.47 $7,082.74 $67,994.58 $76,493.66 $84,992.87
System Operations Manager E 36a $55.9105 $62.8991 $71.6350 $9,691.15 $10,902.51 $12,416.73 $116,293.84 $130,830.13 $149,000.80
Utility Crew Leader NE 24 $31.1330 $35.0246 $38.9161 $5,396.39 $6,070.93 $6,745.47 $64,756.64 $72,851.17 $80,945.59
Utility Maintenance Supervisor E 28 $37.8424 $42.5726 $47.3028 $6,559.35 $7,379.25 $8,199.16 $78,712.19 $88,551.01 $98,389.87
Utility Services Manager E 35 $53.2481 $59.9039 $66.5598 $9,229.67 $10,383.34 $11,537.03 $110,756.05 $124,600.11 $138,444.38
Utility Worker I NE 18 $23.2320 $26.1359 $29.0398 $4,026.88 $4,530.22 $5,033.57 $48,322.56 $54,362.67 $60,402.85
Utility Worker II NE 20 $25.6132 $28.8148 $32.0164 $4,439.62 $4,994.57 $5,549.51 $53,275.46 $59,934.78 $66,594.14
Valve Maintenance Worker NE 17 $22.1257 $24.8913 $27.6570 $3,835.12 $4,314.49 $4,793.88 $46,021.46 $51,773.90 $57,526.52
Warehouse/Delivery Worker NE 19 $24.3936 $27.4427 $30.4918 $4,228.22 $4,756.73 $5,285.25 $50,738.69 $57,080.82 $63,422.99
Water Conservation Specialist NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Water Systems Operator I NE 20 $25.6132 $28.8148 $32.0164 $4,439.62 $4,994.57 $5,549.51 $53,275.46 $59,934.78 $66,594.14
Water Systems Operator II NE 22 $28.2386 $31.7683 $35.2981 $4,894.69 $5,506.51 $6,118.34 $58,736.29 $66,078.06 $73,420.04
Water Systems Operator III NE 23 $29.6505 $33.3568 $37.0630 $5,139.42 $5,781.85 $6,424.25 $61,673.04 $69,382.14 $77,091.04
Water Systems Supervisor E 30 $41.7212 $46.9363 $52.1514 $7,231.67 $8,135.63 $9,039.57 $86,780.10 $97,627.50 $108,474.83
* Salary is determined by the Board
THE LONDON GROUP Alan Nevin
Principal
Realty Advisors
ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
FY2012-2019
The Nation’s Demography
Over the past few decades, there has been a major change in the Nation’s demographic profile:
In the past 60 years, the birth rate of the Nation has been cut in half, from 16.5 births
per 1,000 population to 8.6;
In the Nation, the fastest growing population segment is the over 65 age group;
From 1980-2010, the median age of the population has increased from 30.0 to 37.2.
In San Diego County, from 1980-2010, the percent of foreign-born residents has
doubled and now stands at 25%;
In San Diego County, 2/3s of all households have no one living in them under age 18;
In Chula Vista, from 1980-2010, the percentage of persons over 65 has increased from
6% of the population to 23%; and
In the OWD service area, the number of persons per household should remain at about
3.0 during the next decade as a result of the increasing supply of moderate-priced
family-oriented housing and housing accommodating multi-generational families.
Elsewhere in the County, the persons per household should decline.
The aging of the population is having a major impact on all levels of governmental
spending on social and welfare services, including Social Security, Disability and Medicare
expenditures.
2
The Nation’s Economy
Our nation is in the midst of a recovery, but at this stage of the recovery, we should have added
many more jobs, had a far more vibrant construction industry and have substantially reduced the
Federal deficit.
In the next few years, we project that:
the National unemployment rate decline to 6-7%;
1st time unemployment claims will decline to 300,000 (they have been stuck at 350,000+
since the recession began);
Job gains will be in the 150,000-200,000 per month range;
Single-family home production will gradually move toward traditional levels;
Apartment construction will continue to be vibrant;
Interest rates will remain low; and
There will continue to be substantial amounts of capital available for private-sector
development.
3
San Diego County
The Local Economy
San Diego County is in much better economic shape than most of the Nation. In the past year:
More than 30,000 jobs were created and is on target to repeat that in CY2013;
The unemployment rate is moving downward;
Apartment vacancy rates are in the 4-5% range;
Apartment construction is vibrant; and
Retailing is strong as are vehicle sales, thereby improving revenues from taxation.
The homebuilding Industry
The homebuilding industry is the sole weak spot in the local economy.
During the mid-2000’s, the County was producing 8,000-9,000 single-family homes
annually and thousands of condominiums.
Currently, we are producing 2,000-2,500 single-family homes and virtually no
condominiums.
The problem is that the homebuilding industry ran out of ready-to-build land in 2007
and that supply has never been replenished.
It is likely that the replenishment will not occur until FY2015-2016.
As a result, the 90,000 construction job total in the mid-2000’s is now at half that level,
with few possibilities to return to previous levels in the foreseeable future.
The Home Resale Market
The home resale market is the bright spot in the “for sale” housing market.
Last year and this year, it is likely that sales will total 40,000+ units.
Home prices will once again increase at a pace of more than 10% in CY2013-2014.
Unfortunately, the inventory of homes for sale is meager, thereby causing an unusually
4
vibrant marketplace, often with multiple bids on homes that come to market.
Otay Water District Service Area
Development in the OWD service area is on hold for the most part, but on the cusp of major
activity.
In 2015, Villages 8 and 9 of Otay Ranch will have lots/land available for development of
single-family, townhomes and condominiums;
Millenia, ultimately with 3,000 multi-family units as well as retail, office and industrial
space, will have residential units breaking ground by late CY2013 or early CY2014;
Thereafter, in the OWD service area, there will be a major burst of new development
that will continue for several years and include commercial projects of all types;
Industrial development will heighten in the area surrounding Brown Field;
The cross-border Terminal should be in operation;
SR-11 should initiate development causing development to occur in the area east of the
SR-125; and
The sole major development in that area in the near term future will be the 500,000
square foot Sunroads “big box” center at SR-125 and Otay Mesa Road. That project
should be underway in CY2014.
Overall, the future is bright for the Otay Water District service area as it contains the
majority of the buildable land remaining in the County. Although FYs 2012-2014 should
see modest development, FY 2014-2019 should be very active.
FY 2014 Budget Workshop
May 14, 2013
Attachment C
►Strategic Plan Initiatives (Geoff Stevens)
►Budget Highlights (Joe Beachem)
►Economic Overview (Alan Nevin, London Group)
►Capital Improvement Budget (Rod Posada)
►Balanced Operating Budget (Rita Bell)
►Staffing and Administrative (Rom Sarno)
►Materials and Maintenance (Pedro Porras)
►Summary of Recommendations (Joe Beachem)
2
►Review FY 2014 Strategic Plan
►Present for approval an $86.1M Operating Budget
►Present for approval an $13.8M CIP Budget
►Request approval to move forward to include in the budget average rate
increases beginning with the January 2014 billing
►Water – 7.5%
►Sewer – 7.9%
►Obtain direction to prepare and send 5-year Proposition 218
notices of water and sewer rate increases
►Request approval of the annual fund transfers
►Approve temporary reduction in potable replacement fund (setting balance below target budget but above minimum) to avoid short term external borrowing
3
4
►Since we began in 2002
►350 Objectives have been identified in the plan
►Over 250 have been completed
►Examples:
►WS-95 Implementation of AMR per schedule
►3.3.1.3 Implement a comprehensive cathodic
protection program
►4.2.2.3 Negotiate successor Memorandum of
Understanding in FY 2008
►IT-48 Implement EDEN financial and billing system
5
Corrective
Action
Resources
Accountability
Tools
Training
Execution
Vision
Mission
Strategies
Performance
Measures
OWD Business Planning Process
Strategic Plan
Implementation
Plan
Communication
6
Balanced Scorecard Area
Strategy
Goal
Objective
Project Plan (action items)
Reporting and Measurement
7
Area Objectives Measures Total
Customer 5 6 11
Financial 6 15 21
Business
Process 29 17 46
Learning
and Growth 7 5 12
Total 47 43 90
8
►Define the qualifications of expenditures or
projects that would require a cost/benefit
analysis
►Replace SCADA and work order systems
►Enhance security processes and planning
►Implement the recommendations within the
Integrated Water Resources Plan (IRP)…
►Complete the Waste Water Management Plan
►Improve measurement of project performance
9
►Approval of this budget:
►Funds the final year of the 2012-2014 Strategic Plan
►Initiates efforts for 2015-2017 Strategic Plan
►Helps to accomplish our mission and vision
►Achieves the goals of the Balanced Scorecard
10
11
6-Year
Rate Model
Year End
Balances
Operating
Budget Input
6-Year CIP
Budget Input
MWD & CWA
Sewer Rates
Strategic
Plan
Assumptions
Interest Rates
Inflation
Growth
Sales
Targets
Debt Coverage
Reserve Levels
Operating
Budget
CIP
Budget
Water
&
Sewer
Rates
12
►Increase debt coverage ratio to the 150% target
►Fund the $86.1M Operating Budget
►Fund the $13.8M Capital Budget (to include temporary borrowing)
►Maintain all reserves at target levels in all years – supported by fund transfers
►Replacement Fund returns to target level in FY15 with additional temporary reductions (below target but above minimum) in future years
►Adheres to the Reserve Policy guidelines
13
Potable
Replacement to Designated Betterment $540,000 Replacement to Designated Expansion $357,000
Sewer General Fund to Designated Betterment $774,000 Potable to Sewer Potable Replacement to Designated Sewer Expansion $ 40,000 Potable Replacement to Designated Sewer Betterment $221,000 Potable Replacement to Sewer Replacement $267,000
14
Potable Recycled Sewer Total
Reserve Funding
Expansion Reserve $3,418,000 $10,000 -
$3,428,000
Betterment Reserve - 125,000 - 125,000
Replacement Reserve - 4,230,000 - 4,230,000
Sewer General Fund 152,800 - - 152,800
OPEB Trust 1,114,600 66,900 $61,400 1,242,900
Potable General Fund 1,913,100 - - 1,913,100
Total Reserve Funding $6,598,500 $4,431,900 $61,400
$11,091,800
15
Water Rate Increase
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
FY13 7.4% 7.3% 7.2% 2.9% 2.8% 2.7%
FY14 7.5% 7.5% 7.5% 7.5% 2.3% 2.3%
Debt Coverage Ratio (No Growth)
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
FY13 105% 124% 154% 164% 163% 175%
FY14 134% 164% 158% 152% 169% 151%
Sewer Rate Increase
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
FY13 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9%
FY14 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9%
16
1.62
2.24 2.35
2.64
2.92 2.89
1.34
1.64 1.58 1.52 1.69 1.51
1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
300%
350%
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Debt Ratio Operational Debt Ratio Minimum Debt Ratio
17
95% of the Budgeted Cost Increase due to
Supplier’s Rate Increases
95%
5%
CWA & MWD, City
and County of San
Diego and SDG&E
Otay Debt Coverage
and Reserve Funding
18
Items holding down rates
►Salary and benefit costs net $180,700
►Reductions in staffing levels (5 positions)
saving $519,900
►Materials & Maintenance decrease of $264,100
►Reduction in 6-Year CIP of $9.3 million
►No new water debt issuances in 6-year timeframe
19
Items putting upward pressure on rates
►Water costs increase of $3,262,700 million
►Carlsbad Desal increases the rate from 7.3% to
7.5%in FY14 (with more significant increases in
future years)
►Administrative costs increase of $277,700
20
►Findings presented at March 20, 2013
workshop
►Board directed staff to incorporate into the
budget the water and sewer rate structure
changes based on:
►Cost of Service
►Best Management Practices
►Industry Standards
►Revenue neutral rate structure changes were
made prior to rate increases for FY14 cost
21
22
$-
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$6
1
.
6
5
$6
7
.
9
7
$6
9
.
6
7
$7
2
.
2
5
$7
4
.
5
7
$7
5
.
8
3
$7
7
.
4
4
$7
7
.
8
4
$7
7
.
9
9
$7
8
.
8
8
$7
9
.
3
5
$8
1
.
0
6
$8
3
.
0
3
$8
5
.
0
6
$8
6
.
9
3
$8
8
.
1
2
$8
8
.
4
4
$9
1
.
0
7
$9
5
.
6
4
$1
0
5
.
5
8
$1
0
7
.
7
0
$1
1
0
.
2
3
$1
1
2
.
2
7
SURVEY OF MEMBER AGENCY WATER RATES
14 Unit Water Use and 3/4" Residential Meter
Water bill effective January 2014
Otay is the 8th
lowest provider
►Sewer Rate Increase
►7.9% in 2014 and projected for all six years (no change from prior
projections)
►Typical residential customer will see a $6.20 increase per month
($3.34 due to cost of service study changes and $2.86 due to 7.9%
rate increase)
►Significant CIP funding of $18.6 million for six years
►Includes borrowing State Revolving Funds of $10.2 million
►This debt would be at 1.7% interest rate for 20 years and no external
issuance cost
►Repayment from Potable in FY 2014
►Reserves on target
23
24
$-
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$140
23
.
2
2
28
.
0
0
28
.
0
5
34
.
6
1
38
.
7
5
42
.
3
5
46
.
4
4
47
.
5
5
48
.
0
0
50
.
1
7
52
.
3
5
54
.
0
8
54
.
8
1
55
.
2
4
57
.
4
6
58
.
0
8
63
.
9
3
68
.
8
1
70
.
0
6
70
.
9
0
71
.
9
3
71
.
9
7
82
.
0
3
82
.
2
0
86
.
7
5
93
.
0
7
93
.
4
5
98
.
6
0
12
0
.
9
5
Sewer Rate Comparison in San Diego County
14 Unit Water Use and 3/4" Residential Meter
Projected sewer bill effective January 2014
Otay is the 6th
lowest provider
25
26
FISCAL YEARS
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Single-Family
Dwelling Units 200 400 500 700 700 700
Condominium
Units 200 300 500 600 700 800
Apartment Units 900 900 900 900 900 900
Non-Residential2
(Permit valuation
in millions of
dollars)
$46 $46 $46 $47 $47 $47
1 Source: The London Group Realty Advisors Report April 2013 (all dwelling units
reflected above do not have a one-to-one ratio with an EDU and are converted to EDUs
for budget purposes)
2 Office, commercial, and hotels in the Central and South Districts
27
2,318
1,768
1,677
589
484
559
593
436 362 354
647
801
1,050 1,108
1,195
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500 EDU Sales FY2014
FY2013
Projections
FY2014
Projections
28
►Growth to remain relatively flat for FY 2014
►New development mostly multi-family, instead of single family dwellings
►Six-year CIP expenditure plan to be as level as possible
►In preparing the budgets for the individual CIP projects, the Engineering Department used current construction and bidding data to adjust costs for each project
►Reprioritized projects based on recent requests for water availability letters, Water Supply Assessment reports, and the District’s Water Resource Master Plan
29
FY 2013
FY
2013
FY
2014
FY
2015
FY
2016
FY
2017
FY
2018
Totals $ 18.0 $ 19.2 $ 19.8 $ 20.2 $ 18.4 $ 20.7
Six-Year Total:
$116.4
FY 2014
FY
2014
FY
2015
FY
2016
FY
2017
FY
2018
FY
2019
Totals $ 13.8 $ 19.8 $ 25.7 $ 19.0 $ 14.1 $ 14.7
Six-Year Total:
$107.1
30
DEVELOPER REIMBURSEMENT
$ 5.42 M
CAPITAL FACILITIES
PROJECTS
$ 63.40 M
REPLACEMENT /
RENEWAL PROJECTS
$ 32.73 M
CAPITAL PURCHASES
$ 5.54 M
31
Potable Water Projects:
Otay Mesa Desalination Conveyance and
Disinfection System $ 28.4
870-2 Pump Station Replacement 12.0
Reservoir Improvements 7.0
Sewer Projects:
Sewer System Rehabilitation 5.7
Campo Road Sewer Replacement 5.5
Total Expenditure Projection $ 58.6
32
33
►Budget Process
►Budget Objectives
►Budget Details
►Conclusion
34
►Strategic Plan Objectives set the overall direction for the budgeting effort
►Each department submits budget requests
►Review of all Operating and CIP Budget requests with Chiefs, Assistant General Manager, and General Manager
►Review and incorporate reasonable assumptions on sales, growth, interest rates, and price inflators
►Evaluate cost saving measures and make adjustments where prudent
►Recommend rates that support Strategic Plan initiatives, CIP, and operational needs
35
►Minimize rate impacts
►CWA & City of San Diego water cost increases
►Sewer cost increases from City of San Diego and County of San Diego
►Rate setting built on reasonable projections (interest rates, inflation, growth, and sales)
►Maintain target reserve level and build debt coverage levels to target
►Maintain water and sewer rate position relative to other agencies in the region
36
►Strategic Plan
►CIP Master Plan
►Water and Sewer Cost of Service Study
Workshop held March 18, 2013
►Karyn Keese, Atkins Global
►Meter Sales and the Economy
►Alan Nevin, The London Group
37
►Sales projections for FY 2014 are based on prior year sales which have been affected by price elasticity, conservation, economy and weather patterns
►Based on latest 12 month period
(April 2012 through March 2013)
►Growth rates for FY 2014 through FY 2019 were developed using The London Group
Realty Advisors’ input
38
(748 Gallons)
5,000
15,000
25,000
35,000
45,000
55,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
FY 2009
Actual
FY 2010
Actual
FY 2011
Actual
FY 2012
Actual
FY 2013
Budget
FY 2014
Budget
Me
t
e
r
s
Potable Unit Sales Potable Meters
Un
i
t
s
39
Water Recommendations
►Adjust monthly fixed fee due to the updated meter equivalencies
►Adjust tiers and break points based on current usage patterns
►Adjustment only needed for Commercial
and Recycled
►Create Recycled Commercial rate
►Update Fire Service fee
40
FY 2013
Budget
FY 2014
Budget Variance
Water Sales $ 39,110,200 $ 42,668,000 $ 3,557,800
System Fees 10,328,400 11,184,200 855,800
Energy Fees 1,809,500 1,958,100 148,600
MWD and CWA Fixed Fees 9,705,800 10,399,700 693,900
Penalties 800,500 823,500 23,000
Total Water Sales $ 61,754,400 $ 67,033,500 $ 5,279,100
►Sales dollar increase of $5,279,900 or 8.5%
►$3,144,600 is due to FY13 increases and volume changes
►$2,134,500 is due to FY14 rate increases
►Potable water volume increase of 26,300 units or 0.2%
►Fixed fees set at 30% of total water revenue per Best Management Practices 1.4
41
►Recycled sales dollar increase of $637,700 or 8.3%
►$464,300 due to FY13 rate increase, rate structure and volume changes
►$173,400 is due to FY14 proposed rate increase
►Recycled water volume increase of 23,600 units or 1.3%
FY 2013
Budget
FY 2014
Budget Variance
Water Sales $ 5,561,600 $ 6,103,900 $ 542,300
System Fees 292,200 355,900 63,700
Energy Fees 305,300 315,400 10,100
MWD and CWA Rebates 1,505,600 1,526,600 21,000
Penalties 37,700 38,300 600
Total Recycled Water Sales $ 7,702,400 $ 8,340,100 $ 637,700
42
►Sewer Recommendations
►All Customer Types - adjust monthly fixed fees based on meter equivalency to match AWWA
►Single - Family Residential
►Both ¾” and 1” monthly fixed fee the same
►Phase-in cost of service increase
►Year 1 - Usage Fee increase
►Year 2 - Fixed fee increase
►Year 3 - Repayment of phase-in
►Multi-Residential – charge system fee based on meter size instead of per dwelling unit
►Commercial – eliminate ASU calculation
►Commercial – update strength factors to State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) standard
►Churches and Schools – change methodology to match commercial customers
43
►Sewer Revenues increase of $146,400 or 5.7%
FY 2013
Budget
FY 2014
Budget Variance
Single-Family $ 1,768,000 $ 1,993,200 $ 225,200
Multi-Family 345,900 311,100 (34,800)
Other 412,600 370,600 (42,000)
Penalties 28,700 26,700 (2,000)
Total Sewer Revenue $ 2,555,200 $ 2,701,600 $ 146,400
44
►Capacity Fee Revenues increase of $136,600 or 13.1%
►Due to increase in workload of operating projects funded by
capacity fees
►Betterment Fee Revenues increase of $60,800 or 9.7%
►Due to increase in workload of operating projects funded by
betterment fees
►Grant Revenue eliminated ($20,000)
►Offset by decreases in the Conservation Budget
►Property Tax no significant change
►Miscellaneous Revenues decrease of ($68,000) due to
wrapping up of AMR meter replacement and sale of
scrap metal
45
Water Cost Increase of $ 3,262,700 or 7.8%
►Variable Cost Increase
►Potable costs increase of $2,476,700 or 8.1%
►Recycled costs increase of $95,500 or 6.3 %
►Fixed Cost Increase
►Potable costs increase of $690,500 or 7.1%
►Recycled costs no change
►Take or Pay
►Contractual Agreement causing recycled costs increase of
$93,800 or 20.2%
46
►Sewer costs increase of $49,100 or 3.9%
►Metro O&M cost increase of $13,700
►Spring Valley Sanitation District O&M charges
increase $35,400
47
►Power cost increase of $325,300 13.7%
►Water demand increase of 0.2% for potable and 1.4%
for recycled
►SDG&E anticipates:
►Up to four separate 2.5% rate increases due to rate
case, increase in natural gas prices, shut down of San
Onofre, and transmission rate increases (Federally
regulated)
►The District’s energy savings programs have been
successful; District to continues to operate at non-peak
and semi-peak rates
►72 48
49
►Process
►Each year the Senior Team conducts an analysis of:
►Work load requirements
►Existing vacancies
►Results
►Five vacant positions were deleted, reducing FTE from 148 to 143
50
17
4
.
7
5
17
2
.
7
5
16
8
.
7
5
16
6
15
9
15
6
14
8
14
3
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Employee Count
Reduction of
18.2%
51
$358,000
$843,900
$1,166,300
$1,862,900
$2,340,500
$3,395,900
$4,213,800
$-
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$3,500,000
$4,000,000
$4,500,000
FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14
Cumulative Savings = $14,181,300
52
30
1
30
6
31
4
32
1
33
6
34
4
36
6
38
0
250
270
290
310
330
350
370
390
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Customers per FTE
26.1% Increase
53
►Salary and Benefits overall decrease of ($180,700)
1.0%
►Increases in Salary and Benefits
►Increase in in-range adjustments per the MOU of
$129,300 (No COLA increase)
►Increase in Operating budget caused by decrease in CIP
charges of $445,200
►Increase in health insurance costs of $121,500
54
►Decreases in Salary and Benefits
►Decrease in staffing level of ($519,900)
►Decrease in Vacation/Sick/Holiday, Social Security and
other of ($190,600)
►Decrease in Pay for Performance of ($105,000)
►Decrease in Overtime of ($58,800)
►A listing of Job Classifications and Salary Schedule is
included for Board approval in Exhibit 2 of the Staff
Report
55
56
►Materials & Maintenance overall decrease of
($264,100) or (10.6%)
►Decrease Infrastructure Equipment & Supplies of
($87,500) or (14.9%)
►Decrease in Fuel and Oil of ($72,100) or (19.6%)
►Decrease Meter & Materials of ($53,100) or (28.2%)
►Decrease Chemicals of ($47,900) or (10.1%)
►Offset by increase in District-wide Contracted
Services of $24,100 or 5.5%
►For welding, saw cutting, and core drilling services
57
58
►Administrative Expenses Overall Increase
$277,700 or 5.8%
►Increase in Administrative Costs
►Increase in Services of $180,300 (all one-time)
►Increase in Water Conservation Program of $100,000
►Increase in Water and Sewer Capacity Fee Study of $60,000
►Increase in Condition Assessment Study for the Otay River Potable
Water Trestle of $35,000
►Increase in Bank Fees of $73,700
►Increase in Property Liability Insurance of $35,200
►Increase in General Office Expense primarily due to
postage for Proposition 218 noticing of $24,600
59
►Decreases in Administrative Costs
►Decrease in Regulatory Agency Fees of ($54,300)
►Decrease in Election fees for Registrar of Voters of ($36,000)
►Decrease in Department of Public Health fees by reduced site
visits of ($21,000)
►Decrease in conservation incentives for MF/HOA cash
for water smart plants and residential smart landscape
of ($21,000)
►Decrease in Technology Hardware & Software of
($26,100)
►Decrease in Bad Debt Expense of ($23,300)
60
Potable Recycled Sewer Total
Revenues
Water Sales $67,033,500 $8,340,100 $ - $75,373,600
Sewer Revenues - - 2,701,600 2,701,600
Other Revenues 7,504,300 6,100 151,300 7,661,700
Transfers 149,800 65,100 152,800 367,700
Total Revenues $74,687,600 $8,407,800 $3,005,700 $86,101,100
Expenditures
Water Purchases $43,425,600 $1,599,500 $ - $45,025,100
Power 2,068,100 523,600 101,600 2,693,300
Labor and Benefits 16,259,200 1,259,900 1,156,300 18,675,400
Administrative Expenses 4,480,500 310,400 291,700 5,082,600
Materials & Maintenance 1,855,700 282,500 1,394,700 3,532,900
Reserve Funding 6,598,500 4,431,900 61,400 11,091,800
Total Expenditures $74,687,600 $8,407,800 $3,005,700 $86,101,100
61
►Detach and attach Improvement District (ID)
25 to ID 20 and ID 19 to ID 22
►No purpose to retain these IDs
►The fees are identical for these customers
►This allows the District to eliminate two IDs
►Proposition 218 required to make this change
62
63
64
►Five-year rate increase notice
►Authorizing pass-through of CWA, MWD, City and
County of San Diego and SDG&E increases
►Authorize a 10% maximum increase all other reasons
► Proposition 218 public hearing notices
►Residential Water 50,727 Notices
►Multi-Residential Water 256 Notices
►Public and Commercial Water 1,003 Notices
►Landscape, Agriculture & Construction Water 642 Notices
►Recycled Water 137 Notices
►Residential Sewer 4,922 Notices
►Commercial Sewer 41 Notices
►Improvement District 19 87 Notices
►Improvement District 25 25 Notices
65
►Balanced budget which meets the water and
sewer needs of our customers and supports
the Strategic Plan
►Option A - Supported by a 7.5% potable and
recycled average water rate increase
►Option B - Supported by a 6.4% potable and
recycled average water rate increase
►Supported by a 7.9% average rate increase in
sewer charges
►Improvement Districts Detachment and
Annexation Proposition 218 Notices
66
67
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Option A 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 2.3 2.3
Option B 6.4 6.4 10.6 5.3 3.3 3.3
An alternative rate option that does not avoid the rate spike caused
by CWA’s Carlsbad Desal project has also been evaluated. The
resulting option is shown below in comparison with Option A.
The debt coverage remains above target beginning in 2015 for both
options, however it is lower under Option B.
Due to the delayed revenue stream this results in:
►A short term bank borrowing in 2017 of $2.6 million lasting 2.5 years
►Reduced reserves by $3.1 million at the end of the 6-year rate model
period
►A delay of returning to target in the Replacement reserve of
approximately 1.5 years
68
Option A – Phasing in of Carlsbad Desal Costs
Benefits:
►Smooth rates without a rate spike
►Financially better prepared in case the Desal cost are
higher than expected (subject to the CWA rate study)
►Strengthens the District’s Financial position more
rapidly
Drawbacks:
►Slightly higher rates than Option B in the years
surrounding the rate spike
69
Option B – No Rate Smoothing of Carlsbad Desal Costs
Benefits:
►Slightly lower rates than Option A in the years surrounding the rate spike
Drawbacks:
►Requires a rate spike of over 10% in 2016
►Requires a short-term external borrowing
►More vulnerable to change in expected allocation of Carlsbad desal costs
►Slightly lower financial strength, lower reserves, and debt coverage, and a delay in returning to target level for the replacement reserve
70
1.Adopt Resolution No. 4210 to approve:
► FY 2014 Operating and CIP Budget
►Listing of Job Classifications and Salary Schedule
2.Approve the fund transfers
3.Approve temporary reduction of potable replacement fund level below target but above minimum
4.Direct staff to prepare and send Proposition 218
notices of public hearing with proposed rate changes to customers
71
72
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30
p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption
of rate increases that apply with water billed beginning January 1,
2014; (2) authorize all future pass‐through increased or decreased
charges from water and power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average
rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other
than the pass‐through costs, for its water service fees to the property
for which you are shown as the record owner or customer of record.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider all written protests against
the proposed rate increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on
properties within the District. The amount of the rate and fee
increases proposed to be imposed and the basis upon which they
were calculated is described in more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 7.5 percent was considered by
the District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. If adopted, for a typical single‐family residential water
customer using 14 units of water per month (14 HCF or 10,472
gallons), your water bill will increase by $4.08 per month. The new
water rates and fees will apply to water used as early as the
beginning of December 2013.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly
charges and variable monthly charges based on water consumption.
The fixed amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of
operating and maintaining the public water system and are based on
the size of the water meter serving the record owner or customer of
record. Fixed charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s
System Fee. The variable components of the rate structure will
generally impose greater charges as the level of water consumption
increases. The variable components are structured in such a way as
to deter waste and encourage conservation. The variable
components of the bill include the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and
Water Charge by Improvement District. The components are
calculated to recover the proportionate cost of providing the service
attributable to each class of customer.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐throughs to its
customers of all future increased or decreased charges from water
and power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates
would increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from
wholesale water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to
lower charges from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to
increased or decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s
suppliers including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), the City
of San Diego, and for power charges from San Diego Gas & Electric.
Any increases subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed the cost of providing the service and would be subject to a
30‐day prior written notice, but would not be subject to additional
hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing water service, including amounts required to meet
bond covenants and to maintain adequate reserves and rate stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee
structure will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne
in providing the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are
proportionate to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 7.5 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other
recent increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not
anticipate additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to
implement increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified
to be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases,
you may submit a written protest against the proposed actions.
Provided, however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest
will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the
specific rate increase (water service rates and fees) for which the
protest is being submitted in opposition; provide the location of the
identified property (by assessor’s parcel number or street address);
and include the original signature of the record owner or customer of
record submitting the protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail,
facsimile, or other electronic means will not be accepted. Written
protests may be submitted by mail to the Board Secretary, Otay
Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA
91978, or in person at the public hearing, so long as they are received
prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. Please identify on the
front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed or submitted in
person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed letter is for the
Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Water Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to
be imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves
as a 30‐day notice of proposed to rate increases.
(Continued on page 2)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICE
Attachment D
Page 2
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to its
current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, and the City of San Diego.
Similarly, increases or decreases from San Diego Gas and Electric are
pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each end
user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water, energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in water
treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction and
maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also includes
amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain adequate
reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public agency, it
does not make a profit from providing water service and it cannot
operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion of
existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water desalination.
In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water
from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser increase
of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact the
higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District works
continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient, while
still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed with
an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10 inches
of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐arid
climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported from
sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water from
Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the District
is actively supporting the development of an ocean water desalination
facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐quality water
from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the water we receive
from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Page 3
Footnotes
1. These are fixed fees and are based on meter size. The System Fee is
increasing to pay for the higher water system replacement, maintenance,
and operating expenses. The MWD & CWA fee matches in total the cost
charged by wholesale water suppliers.
2. This cost varies based on water usage and can be calculated using the
consumption block tables. One unit of consumption equals 748 gallons of
water or one HCF (hundred cubic feet). The example used above is based
on 14 units of consumption.
3. The Conservation Tier discount applies toward the first five units of water
when overall consumption is ten units or less.
4. The Energy Charge represents the cost of the energy required to pump or
lift each unit of water 100 feet in elevation. This is charged proportionately
for every foot of elevation over 450 feet. The increase/decrease is due to
increased/decreased power costs charged to the District.
5. This charge is a per unit charge and your bill will vary based on your water
consumption. Improvement District charges do not apply to the first five
units of water per month.
6. Charges collected through the property tax role (availability fees and
general obligation debt) are not included in this total.
7. Fire Service requires a separate meter and is a monthly fee based on
meter size. The Fire Service Fee is decreasing based on the Cost of Service
study.
8. Your bill will vary based on meter size, water consumption in units, and
geographic location.
9. Projected rates (2015‐2018) are for information purposes only.
Typical Bill based on 14 HCF (or water units) per Month
MWD&CWA1 System Fee1 Water Rate2 Energy Charge4 Water Charge by
Improvement District5 Total6
Current $13.28 $16.74 $40.90 $2.05 $0.79 $73.76
Proposed $14.45 $16.19 $44.08 $2.33 $0.79 $77.84
$4.08 Increase in monthly water bill8
This information reflects only changes to rates. For a comprehensive listing of rates, please see the
Otay Water District’s Code of Ordinances at www.otaywater.gov.
Consumption Blocks by Unit and Usage Fee2 and Projected9 ‐ Residential Water (2014—2018)
Consumption Blocks
(in Units)2 Current 2014
Proposed
Projected
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Conservation Tier3 $1.73 $1.86 $2.00 $2.15 $2.31 $2.37
6 ‐ 10 $2.69 $2.90 $3.11 $3.35 $3.60 $3.68
11 ‐ 22 $3.50 $3.77 $4.05 $4.35 $4.68 $4.79
23 or more $5.39 $5.80 $6.24 $6.71 $7.21 $7.37
System Fee1 by Meter Size (including Projections9)
Meter Current 2014 Projected Projected Projected Projected
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.40 $18.71 $20.11 $20.58
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.59 $26.43 $28.41 $29.06
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.55 $45.74 $49.17 $50.30
2" $46.13 $59.62 $64.09 $64.09 $74.07 $75.77
MWD & CWA Fixed Fees1 (including Projections9)
Meter
Size Current
2014
Proposed
Projected
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
3/4" $13.28 $14.45 $15.53 $16.70 $17.95 $18.36
1" $22.12 $26.79 $28.80 $30.96 $33.28 $34.05
1 1/2" $44.31 $60.61 $65.16 $70.04 $75.30 $77.03
2" $70.85 $103.08 $110.81 $119.12 $128.06 $131.00
Other Charges8 Current
2014
Proposed
Projected9
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Energy Charges4 $0.042 $0.048 $0.051 $0.055 $0.059 $0.061
Improvement District5
No. 3 $0.21 $0.21 $0.21 $0.21 $0.21 $0.21
Improvement District5
No. 10 $0.27 $0.27 $0.27 $0.27 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa5 $0.08 $0.08 $0.08 $0.08 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service7 $34.57
≤3” Meter
$21.14
≤3” Meter
$22.73
≤3” Meter
$24.43
≤3” Meter
$26.26
≤3” Meter
$26.87
≥4” Meter
$28.49
≥4” Meter
$30.63
≥4” Meter
$32.92
≥4” Meter
$35.39
≥4” Meter
$36.21
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
WATER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30
p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption
of rate increases that apply with water billed beginning January 1,
2014; (2) authorize all future pass‐through increased or decreased
charges from water and power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average
rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other
than the pass‐through costs, for its water service fees to the property
for which you are shown as the record owner or customer of record.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider all written protests against
the proposed rate increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on
properties within the District. The amount of the rate and fee
increases proposed to be imposed and the basis upon which they
were calculated is described in more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 7.5 percent was considered by
the District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. The new water rates and fees will apply to water used as
early as the beginning of December 2013.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly
charges and variable monthly charges based on water consumption.
The fixed amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of
operating and maintaining the public water system and are based on
the size of the water meter serving the record owner or customer of
record. Fixed charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s
System Fee. The variable components of the rate structure will
generally impose greater charges as the level of water consumption
increases. The variable components are structured in such a way as
to deter waste and encourage conservation. The variable
components of the bill include the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and
Water Charge By Improvement District. The components are
calculated to recover the proportionate cost of providing the service
attributable to each customer within each customer class.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐through to its
customers all future increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates
would increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from
wholesale water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to
lower charges from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to
increased or decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s
suppliers including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), Helix
Water District, the City of San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
Any increases subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed the cost of providing the service and would be subject to a
30‐day prior written notice, but would not be subject to additional
hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing water service, including amounts required to meet
bond covenants and maintain adequate reserves and rate stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee
structure will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne
in providing the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are
proportionate to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 7.5 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other
recent increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not
anticipate additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to
implement increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified
to be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases,
you may submit a written protest against the proposed actions.
Provided, however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest
will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the
specific rate increase (multi‐residential water service rates and fees)
for which the protest is being submitted in opposition; provide the
location of the identified property (by assessor’s parcel number or
street address); and include the original signature of the record
owner or customer of record submitting the protest. Protests
submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic means will not be
accepted. Written protests may be submitted by mail to the Board
Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.,
Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so long as
they are received prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. Please
identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed
or submitted in person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed
letter is for the Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Water
Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to
be imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves
as a 30‐day notice of proposed to rate increases.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
(Continued on page 2)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR MULTI-RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICE
Attachment E
Page 2
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to its
current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, the Helix Water District,
and the City of San Diego. Similarly, increases or decreases from San
Diego Gas and Electric are pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each end
user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water, energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in water
treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction and
maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also includes
amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain adequate
reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public agency, it
does not make a profit from providing water service and it cannot
operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion of
existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water desalination.
In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water
from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser increase
of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact the
higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District works
continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient, while
still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed with
an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10 inches
of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐arid
climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported from
sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water from
Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the District
is actively supporting the development of an ocean water desalination
facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐quality water
from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the water we receive
from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Footnotes
1. This cost varies based on water usage and can be calculated using the
consumption block tables. One unit of consumption equals 748
gallons of water.
2. Projected rates (2015‐2018) are for information purposes only.
3. These fees are based on the meter size. The MWD&CWA fee is
increasing to match the cost from the District’s water suppliers. The
System Fee is increasing to pay for higher water system replacement,
maintenance, and operating expenses.
4. The Energy Charge represents the cost of energy required to pump
each unit of water 100 feet in elevation. This is charged
proportionately for every foot of elevation over 450 feet. This
increase is due to increased power costs to the District.
5. This charge is a per unit charge and your bill will vary based on water
consumption.
6. Fire Service requires a separate meter and is a monthly fee based on
meter size. The Fire Service Fee is decreasing based on the Cost of Service
study.
MWD & CWA Fixed Fees3 Size (including Projections2)
Meter
Size Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
3/4" $13.28 $14.45 $15.53 $16.70 $17.95 $18.36
1" $22.12 $26.79 $28.80 $30.96 $33.28 $34.05
1 1/2" $44.31 $60.61 $65.16 $70.04 $75.30 $77.03
2" $70.85 $103.08 $110.81 $119.12 $128.06 $131.00
3" $141.71 $219.23 $235.67 $253.35 $272.35 $278.61
4" $221.43 $351.09 $377.42 $405.73 $436.16 $446.19
6" $442.80 $718.69 $772.59 $830.54 $892.83 $913.36
8" $708.53 $1160.59 $1,247.63 $1,341.21 $1,441.80 $1,474.96
10" $1,015.06 $1,670.55 $1,795.84 $1,930.53 $2,075.32 $2,123.05
Water Usage Fee1 ‐ Consumption Blocks by Unit (including Projections2)
Multi‐Residential
Consumption
Blocks1
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected 2018
0 ‐ 4 $2.66 $2.86 $3.08 $3.31 $3.56 $3.64
5 ‐ 9 $3.45 $3.71 $3.99 $4.29 $4.61 $4.72
10 or more $5.32 $5.73 $6.16 $6.62 $7.11 $7.28
Meter Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.40 $18.71 $20.11 $20.58
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.59 $26.43 $28.41 $29.06
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.55 $45.74 $49.17 $50.30
2" $46.13 $59.62 $64.09 $68.90 $74.07 $75.77
3" $82.29 $113.08 $121.56 $130.68 $140.48 $143.71
4" $122.99 $173.22 $186.21 $200.18 $215.19 $220.14
6" $236.02 $340.29 $365.81 $393.25 $422.74 $432.46
8" $371.64 $540.76 $581.32 $624.92 $671.78 $687.24
10" $529.88 $774.64 $832.74 $895.19 $962.33 $984.47
System Fee3 by Meter Size (including Projections2)
Other Charges Current
2014
Proposed
Energy Charges4 $0.042 $0.048
Improvement District5No. 3 $0.21 $0.21
Improvement District5No. 10 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa5 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service6
≤3” Meter
$21.14
≥4” Meter
$28.49
$34.57
2015
$0.051
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$22.73
≥4” Meter
$30.63
2016
$0.055
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$24.43
≥4” Meter
$32.92
2017
$0.059
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$26.26
≥4” Meter
$35.39
2018
$0.061
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$26.87
≥4” Meter
$36.21
Government Fee $0.29 $0.31 $0.33 $0.36 $0.38 $0.39
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
MULTI‐RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
MULTI‐RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30
p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption
of rate increases that apply with water billed beginning January 1,
2014; (2) authorize all future pass‐through increased or decreased
charges from water and power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average
rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other
than the pass‐through costs, for its water service fees to the property
for which you are shown as the record owner or customer of record.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider all written protests against
the proposed rate increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on
properties within the District. The amount of the rate and fee
increases proposed to be imposed and the basis upon which they
were calculated is described in more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 7.5 percent was considered by
the District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. The new water rates and fees will apply to water used as
early as the beginning of December 2013.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly
charges and variable monthly charges based on water consumption.
The fixed amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of
operating and maintaining the public water system and are based on
the size of the water meter serving the record owner or customer of
record. Fixed charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s
System Fee. The variable components of the rate structure will
generally impose greater charges as the level of water consumption
increases. The variable components are structured in such a way as
to deter waste and encourage conservation. The variable
components of the bill include the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and
Water Charge By Improvement District. The components are
calculated to recover the proportionate cost of providing the service
attributable to each customer within each customer class.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐through to its
customers all future increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates
would increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from
wholesale water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to
lower charges from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to
increased or decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s
suppliers including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), Helix
Water District, the City of San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
Any increases subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed the cost of providing the service and would be subject to a
30‐day prior written notice, but would not be subject to additional
hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing water service, including amounts required to meet
bond covenants and maintain adequate reserves and rate stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee
structure will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne
in providing the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are
proportionate to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 7.5 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other
recent increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not
anticipate additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to
implement increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified
to be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases,
you may submit a written protest against the proposed actions.
Provided, however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest
will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the
specific rate increase (Public and Commercial water service rates and
fees) for which the protest is being submitted in opposition; provide
the location of the identified property (by assessor’s parcel number
or street address); and include the original signature of the record
owner or customer of record submitting the protest. Protests
submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic means will not be
accepted. Written protests may be submitted by mail to the Board
Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.,
Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so long as
they are received prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. Please
identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed
or submitted in person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed
letter is for the Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Water
Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to
be imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves
as a 30‐day notice of proposed to rate increases.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
(Continued on page 2)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL
WATER SERVICE
Attachment F
Page 2
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to its
current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, the Helix Water District,
and the City of San Diego. Similarly, increases or decreases from San
Diego Gas and Electric are pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each end
user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water, energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in water
treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction and
maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also includes
amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain adequate
reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public agency, it
does not make a profit from providing water service and it cannot
operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion of
existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water desalination.
In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water
from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser increase
of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact the
higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District works
continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient, while
still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed with
an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10 inches
of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐arid
climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported from
sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water from
Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the District
is actively supporting the development of an ocean water desalination
facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐quality water
from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the water we receive
from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Footnotes
1. This cost varies based on water usage
and can be calculated using the
consumption block tables. One unit of
consumption equals 748 gallons of
water.
2. Projected rates (2015‐2018) are for
information purposes only.
3. These fees are based on the meter
size. The MWD&CWA fee is increasing
to match the cost from the District’s
water suppliers. The System Fee is
increasing to pay for higher water
system replacement, maintenance, and
operating expenses.
4. The Energy Charge represents the cost
of energy required to pump each unit of
water 100 feet in elevation. This is
charged proportionately for every foot
of elevation over 450 feet. This increase
is due to increased power costs to the
District.
5. This charge is a per unit charge and your bill
will vary based on water consumption.
6. Fire Service requires a separate meter and is
a monthly fee based on meter size. The Fire
Service Fee is decreasing based on the Cost
of Service study.
This information reflects only
changes to rates. For a
comprehensive listing of rates,
please see the Otay Water
District’s Code of Ordinances at
www.otaywater.gov.
Consumption Block1 Proposed Current Rate
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
0 ‐ 173 0 ‐ 185 $2.84 $3.06 $3.29 $3.53 $3.80 $3.89
174 ‐ 831 186 ‐ 1,400 $2.92 $3.14 $3.38 $3.63 $3.91 $3.99
832+ 1,401+ $2.96 $3.19 $3.43 $3.68 $3.96 $4.05
Public and Commercial Water Usage Fee (<10” Meter) and Projected2
Public and Commercial Water Usage Fee (10”+ Meter) and Projected2
0 ‐ 7,426 0 ‐ 7,426 $2.84 $3.06 $3.29 $3.53 $3.80 $3.89
7,427–14,616 7,427 –14,616 $2.92 $3.14 $3.38 $3.63 $3.91 $3.99
14,617+ 14,617+ $2.96 $3.19 $3.43 $3.68 $3.96 $4.05
MWD & CWA Fixed Fees3 Size (including Projections2)
Meter
Size
Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
3/4" $13.28 $14.45 $15.53 $16.70 $17.95 $18.36
1" $22.12 $26.79 $28.80 $30.96 $33.28 $34.05
1 1/2" $44.31 $60.61 $65.16 $70.04 $75.30 $77.03
2" $70.85 $103.08 $110.81 $119.12 $128.06 $131.00
3" $141.71 $219.23 $235.67 $253.35 $272.35 $278.61
4" $221.43 $351.09 $377.42 $405.73 $436.16 $446.19
6" $442.80 $718.69 $772.59 $830.54 $892.83 $913.36
8" $708.53 $1160.59 $1,247.63 $1,341.21 $1,441.80 $1,474.96
10" $1,015.06 $1670.55 $1,795.84 $1,930.53 $2,075.32 $2,123.05
Meter
Size
Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.40 $18.71 $20.11 $20.58
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.59 $26.43 $28.41 $29.06
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.55 $45.74 $49.17 $50.30
2" $46.13 $59.62 $64.09 $68.90 $74.07 $75.77
3" $82.29 $113.08 $121.56 $130.68 $140.48 $143.71
4" $122.99 $173.22 $186.21 $200.18 $215.19 $220.14
6" $236.02 $340.29 $365.81 $393.25 $422.74 $432.46
8" $371.64 $540.76 $581.32 $624.92 $671.78 $687.24
10" $529.88 $774.64 $832.74 $895.19 $962.33 $984.47
System Fee3 by Meter Size (including Projections2)
Other Charges
Current
2014
Proposed
Energy Charges4 $0.042 $0.048
Improvement District5No. 3 $0.21 $0.21
Improvement District5No. 10 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa5 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service6
≤3” Meter
$21.14
≥4” Meter
$28.49
$34.57
2015
Projected
$0.051
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$22.73
≥4” Meter
$30.63
2016
Projected
$0.055
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$24.43
≥4” Meter
$32.92
2017
Projected
$0.059
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$26.26
≥4” Meter
$35.39
2018
Projected
$0.061
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$26.87
≥4” Meter
$36.21
Government Fee $0.29 $0.31 $0.33 $0.36 $0.38 $0.39
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL WATER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30
p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption
of rate increases that apply with water billed beginning January 1,
2014; (2) authorize all future pass‐through increased or decreased
charges from water and power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average
rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other
than the pass‐through costs, for its water service fees to the property
for which you are shown as the record owner or customer of record.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider all written protests against
the proposed rate increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on
properties within the District. The amount of the rate and fee
increases proposed to be imposed and the basis upon which they
were calculated is described in more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 7.5 percent was considered by
the District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. The new water rates and fees will apply to water used as
early as the beginning of December 2013.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly
charges and variable monthly charges based on water consumption.
The fixed amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of
operating and maintaining the public water system and are based on
the size of the water meter serving the record owner or customer of
record. Fixed charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s
System Fee. The variable components of the rate structure will
generally impose greater charges as the level of water consumption
increases. The variable components are structured in such a way as
to deter waste and encourage conservation. The variable
components of the bill include the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and
Water Charge By Improvement District. The components are
calculated to recover the proportionate cost of providing the service
attributable to each customer within each customer class.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐through to its
customers all future increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates
would increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from
wholesale water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to
lower charges from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to
increased or decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s
suppliers including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), Helix
Water District, the City of San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
Any increases subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed the cost of providing the service and would be subject to a
30‐day prior written notice, but would not be subject to additional
hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing water service, including amounts required to meet
bond covenants and maintain adequate reserves and rate stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee
structure will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne
in providing the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are
proportionate to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 7.5 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other
recent increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not
anticipate additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to
implement increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified
to be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases,
you may submit a written protest against the proposed actions.
Provided, however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest
will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the
specific rate increase (Landscape, Agricultural, and Construction
water service rates and fees) for which the protest is being submitted
in opposition; provide the location of the identified property (by
assessor’s parcel number or street address); and include the original
signature of the record owner or customer of record submitting the
protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic
means will not be accepted. Written protests may be submitted by
mail to the Board Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public
hearing, so long as they are received prior to the conclusion of the
public hearing. Please identify on the front of the envelope for any
protest, whether mailed or submitted in person to the Board
Secretary, that the enclosed letter is for the Public Hearing on the
Proposed Increase to Water Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to
be imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves
as a 30‐day notice of proposed to rate increases.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
(Continued on page 2)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR LANDSCAPE, AGRICULTURAL, AND
CONSTRUCTION WATER SERVICE
Attachment G
Page 2
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to its
current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, the Helix Water District,
and the City of San Diego. Similarly, increases or decreases from San
Diego Gas and Electric are pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each end
user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water, energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in water
treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction and
maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also includes
amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain adequate
reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public agency, it
does not make a profit from providing water service and it cannot
operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion of
existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water desalination.
In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water
from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser increase
of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact the
higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District works
continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient, while
still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed with
an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10 inches
of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐arid
climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported from
sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water from
Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the District
is actively supporting the development of an ocean water desalination
facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐quality water
from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the water we receive
from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Footnotes
1. This cost varies based on
water usage and can be
calculated using the
consumption block tables.
One unit of consumption
equals 748 gallons of
water.
2. Projected rates (2015‐
2018) are for information
purposes only.
3. These fees are based on
the meter size. The
MWD&CWA fee is
increasing to match the
cost from the District’s
water suppliers. The
System Fee is increasing
to pay for higher water
system replacement,
maintenance, and
operating expenses.
4. The Energy Charge
represents the cost of
energy required to pump
each unit of water 100
feet in elevation. This is
charged proportionately
for every foot of elevation
over 450 feet. This
increase is due to
increased power costs to
the District.
5. This charge is a per unit charge
and your bill will vary based on
water consumption.
6. Fire Service requires a
separate meter and is a
monthly fee based on meter
size. The Fire Service Fee is
decreasing based on the Cost
of Service study.
This information reflects only
changes to rates. For a
comprehensive listing of rates,
please see the Otay Water
District’s Code of Ordinances
at www.otaywater.gov.
MWD & CWA Fixed Fees3 Size (including Projections2 )
Meter Size Current 2014 Proposed 2015 Projected 2016 Projected 2017 Projected 2018 Projected
3/4" $13.28 $14.45 $15.53 $16.70 $17.95 $18.36
1" $22.12 $26.79 $28.80 $30.96 $33.28 $34.05
1 1/2" $44.31 $60.61 $65.16 $70.04 $75.30 $77.03
2" $70.85 $103.08 $110.81 $119.12 $128.06 $131.00
3" $141.71 $219.23 $235.67 $253.35 $272.35 $278.61
4" $221.43 $351.09 $377.42 $405.73 $436.16 $446.19
6" $442.80 $718.69 $772.59 $830.54 $892.83 $913.36
8" $708.53 $1160.59 $1,247.63 $1,341.21 $1,441.80 $1,474.96
10" $1,015.06 $1670.55 $1,795.84 $1,930.53 $2,075.32 $2,123.05
Meter Size Current 2014 Proposed 2015 Projected 2016 Projected 2017 Projected 2018 Projected
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.40 $18.71 $20.11 $20.58
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.59 $26.43 $28.41 $29.06
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.55 $45.74 $49.17 $50.30
2" $46.13 $59.62 $64.09 $68.90 $74.07 $75.77
3" $82.29 $113.08 $121.56 $130.68 $140.48 $143.71
4" $122.99 $173.22 $186.21 $200.18 $215.19 $220.14
6" $236.02 $340.29 $365.81 $393.25 $422.74 $432.46
8" $371.64 $540.76 $581.32 $624.92 $671.78 $687.24
10" $529.88 $774.64 $832.74 $895.19 $962.33 $984.47
System Fee3 by Meter Size (including Projections2 )
Other Charges Current 2014 Proposed
Energy Charges4 $0.042 $0.048
Improvement District5No. 3 $0.21 $0.21
Improvement District5No. 10 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa5 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service6
≤3” Meter
$21.14
≥4” Meter
$28.49
$34.57
2015
Projected
$0.051
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$22.73
≥4” Meter
$30.63
2016
Projected
$0.055
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$24.43
≥4” Meter
$32.92
2017
Projected
$0.059
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$26.26
≥4” Meter
$35.39
2018
Projected
$0.061
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
≤3” Meter
$26.87
≥4” Meter
$36.21
Government Fee $0.29 $0.31 $0.33 $0.36 $0.38 $0.39
Consumption Block1 Proposed Current 2014 Proposed Projected 2015 Projected 2016 Projected 2017 Projected 2018
0 ‐ 49 0 ‐ 54 $3.87 $4.17 $4.48 $4.81 $5.18 $5.29
50 ‐ 132 55 ‐ 199 $3.95 $4.25 $4.57 $4.91 $5.28 $5.40
133+ 200+ $4.01 $4.32 $4.64 $4.99 $5.36 $5.49
Landscape, Agricultural, and Construction (3/4” ‐ 1” Meter)
Landscape, Agricultural, and Construction (3”+ Meter)
0 ‐ 1,044 0 ‐ 550 $3.87 $4.17 $4.48 $4.81 $5.18 $5.29
1,045 ‐ 8,067 551 ‐ 1,200 $3.95 $4.25 $4.57 $4.91 $5.28 $5.40
8,068+ 1,201+ $4.01 $4.32 $4.64 $4.99 $5.36 $5.49
Landscape, Agricultural, and Construction (1‐1/2 ‐ 2” Meter)
0 ‐ 144 0 ‐ 144 $3.87 $4.17 $4.48 $4.81 $5.18 $5.29
145 ‐ 355 145‐355 $3.95 $4.25 $4.57 $4.91 $5.28 $5.40
356+ 356+ $4.01 $4.32 $4.64 $4.99 $5.36 $5.49
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
LANDSCAPE, AGRICULTURAL, AND CONSTRUCTION
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
LANDSCAPE, AGRICULTURAL, AND CONSTRUCTION
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR RECYCLED WATER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the “District”)
will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30 p.m. in the
Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.,
Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption of rate increases
that apply with water billed beginning January 1, 2014; (2) authorize all
future pass‐through increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average rate increases not to
exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other than the pass‐through
costs, for its recycled water service fees to the property for which you
are shown as the record owner or customer of record. The purpose of
the hearing is to consider all written protests against the proposed rate
increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on properties within
the District. The amount of the rate and fee increases proposed to be
imposed and the basis upon which they were calculated is described in
more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 7.5 percent was considered by the
District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. The new water rates and fees will apply to water used as early
as the beginning of December 2013.
Recycled water rates are based on the cost of potable water from the
District’s wholesale suppliers. To continue providing reliable high
quality service, the District must implement rate increase and pass‐
through to its customers higher costs by those water wholesalers.
Producing and distributing recycled water is also costly. To help offset
the costs of supplying alternative water sources, the District receives
financial incentives from its wholesale water suppliers. Everyone
benefits from recycled water, including potable water customers
because it diversifies our water sources, therefore, potable and
recycled water rates are calculated in a combined manner. Recycled
rates are then discounted by 15 percent, recognizing the added
expense to use recycled water and passing along those incentives to
recycled water customers. Today, approximately 13 percent of the
District’s water supply is made up of recycled water, and there are
plans to continue expanding the system.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly charges
and variable monthly charges based on water consumption. The fixed
amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of operating and
maintaining the public water system and are based on the size of the
water meter serving the record owner or customer of record. Fixed
charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s System Fee.
The variable components of the rate structure will generally impose
greater charges as the level of water consumption increases. The
variable components are structured in such a way as to deter waste and
encourage conservation. The variable components of the bill include
the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and Water Charge By Improvement
District. The components are calculated to recover the proportionate
cost of providing the service attributable to each customer within each
customer class.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐through to its
customers all future increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates would
increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from wholesale
water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to lower charges
from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to increased or
decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s suppliers including
the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), San
Diego County Water Authority (CWA), Helix Water District, the City of
San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric. Any increases subsequently
implemented by the District would not exceed the cost of providing the
service and would be subject to a 30‐day prior written notice, but
would not be subject to additional hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing recycled water service, including amounts required to
meet bond covenants and maintain adequate reserves and rate
stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee structure
will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne in providing
the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are proportionate
to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 7.5 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other recent
increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not anticipate
additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to implement
increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified to
be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases, you may
submit a written protest against the proposed actions. Provided,
however, if the identified property has more than one record owner
and/or customer of record, only one written protest will be counted.
Each protest must be in writing; state that the specific rate increase
(recycled water service rates and fees) for which the protest is being
submitted in opposition; provide the location of the identified property
(by assessor’s parcel number or street address); and include the original
signature of the record owner or customer of record submitting the
protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic
means will not be accepted. Written protests may be submitted by mail
to the Board Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs
Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so
long as they are received prior to the conclusion of the public hearing.
Please identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether
mailed or submitted in person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed
letter is for the Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Water
Rates.
(Continued on page 2)
Attachment H
Page 2
PROPOSED RECYCLED WATER RATES
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to be
imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the rate
increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water used as
early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves as a 30‐
day notice of proposed to rate increases.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as
notice that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to
its current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, the Helix Water District,
and the City of San Diego. Similarly, increases or decreases from San
Diego Gas and Electric are pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each
end user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water,
energy or pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used
in water treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction
and maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also
includes amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain
adequate reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public
agency, it does not make a profit from providing water service and it
cannot operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion
of existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water
desalination. In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring
imported water from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser
increase of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact
the higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District
works continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient,
while still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed
with an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10
inches of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐
arid climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported
from sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water
from Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the
District is actively supporting the development of an ocean water
desalination facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐
quality water from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the
water we receive from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the
Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Page 3
This information reflects only
changes to rates. For a
comprehensive listing of rates,
please see the
Otay Water District’s Code of
Ordinances at
www.otaywater.gov.
Meter Size Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.40 $18.71 $20.11 $20.58
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.59 $26.43 $28.41 $29.06
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.55 $45.74 $49.17 $50.30
2" $46.13 $59.62 $64.09 $68.90 $74.07 $75.77
3" $82.29 $113.08 $121.56 $130.68 $140.48 $143.71
4" $122.99 $173.22 $186.21 $200.18 $215.19 $220.14
6" $236.02 $340.29 $365.81 $393.25 $422.74 $432.46
8" $371.64 $540.76 $581.32 $624.92 $671.78 $687.24
10" $529.88 $774.64 $832.74 $895.19 $962.33 $984.47
System Fee2 by Meter Size and Projected
Recycled Usage Fee (3/4” ‐ 1” Meter) and Projected
Consumption
Block1
2014
Proposed Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
0 ‐ 42 0 ‐ 32 $3.31 $3.56 $3.83 $4.12 $4.43 $4.53
43 ‐ 97 33 ‐ 75 $3.35 $3.61 $3.88 $4.17 $4.48 $4.58
98+ 76+ $3.42 $3.68 $3.96 $4.25 $4.57 $4.68
Recycled (1.5” ‐ 2” Meter)
0 ‐ 168 0 ‐ 130 $3.31 $3.56 $3.83 $4.12 $4.43 $4.53
169 ‐ 402 131 ‐ 325 $3.35 $3.61 $3.88 $4.17 $4.48 $4.58
403+ 326+ $3.42 $3.68 $3.96 $4.25 $4.57 $4.68
Recycled (3” ‐ 4” Meter)
0 ‐ 403 0 ‐ 440 $3.31 $3.56 $3.83 $4.12 $4.43 $4.53
404 ‐ 820 441 ‐ 1,050 $3.35 $3.61 $3.88 $4.17 $4.48 $4.58
821+ 1,051+ $3.42 $3.68 $3.96 $4.25 $4.57 $4.68
Recycled (>6” Meter)
0 ‐ 7,916 0 ‐ 4,000 $3.31 $3.56 $3.83 $4.12 $4.43 $4.53
7,917 ‐ 16,357 4,001 ‐ 10,000 $3.35 $3.61 $3.88 $4.17 $4.48 $4.58
16,358+ 10,001+ $3.42 $3.68 $3.96 $4.25 $4.57 $4.68
Recycled Commercial (<10” Meter)
0 ‐ 173 0 ‐ 173 $2.38 $2.56 $2.75 $2.96 $3.18 $3.26
174 ‐ 831 174 ‐ 831 $2.45 $2.64 $2.84 $3.05 $3.28 $3.35
821+ 832+ $2.47 $2.66 $2.86 $3.07 $3.30 $3.38
0 – 7,426 0 – 7,426 $2.38 $2.56 $2.75 $2.96 $3.18 $3.26
7,427 ‐ 14,616 7,427 ‐ 14,616 $2.45 $2.64 $2.84 $3.05 $3.28 $3.35
14,617 14,617 $2.47 $2.66 $2.86 $3.07 $3.30 $3.38
Recycled Commercial (10” or Larger Meter)
Other
Charges Current
2014
Proposed
Energy Charge3 $0.042 $0.048
2015
Projected
$0.051
2016
Projected
$0.055
2017
Projected
$0.059
2018
Projected
$0.061
Government Fee $0.29 $0.31 $0.33 $0.36 $0.39 $0.39
Footnotes
1. Recycled water rates are based on meter
size and the number of recycled water units
used each month. One unit of recycled
water equals 748 gallons of water.
2. System Fees are based on the meter size. The
System Fee is increasing to pay for higher water
system replacement, maintenance, and operating
expenses.
3. The Energy Charge represents the cost of energy
required to pump each unit of water 100 feet in
elevation. This is charged proportionately for every
foot of elevation over 450 feet. This increase is due
to increased power costs to the District.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
RECYCLED WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
RECYCLED WATER SERVICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
INCREASES TO RATES AND FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL SEWER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at
3:30 p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554
Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to
consider the adoption of proposed increased rates and fees,
and a five‐year schedule of rate increases, for its sewer service
charges to the property for which you are shown as the record
owner or customer of record. The purpose of the hearing is to
consider all written protests against the rate increases to the
District’s fees proposed to be imposed on properties within the
District. The amount of the proposed rates and fees to be
imposed and the basis upon which they were determined is
described in more detail as follows.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property
identified to be subject to the imposition of the proposed rate
and fee increases, you may submit a written protest against the
proposed increases. Provided, however, if the identified
property has more than one record owner and/or customer of
record, only one written protest will be counted. Each protest
must be in writing; state that the specific rate increase (sewer
service rates and fees) for which the protest is being submitted
in opposition; provide the location of the identified property
(by assessor’s parcel number or street address); and include
the original signature of the record owner or customer of
record submitting the protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail,
facsimile, or other electronic means will not be accepted.
Written protests may be submitted by mail to the Board
Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs
Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public
hearing, so long as they are received prior to the conclusion of
the public hearing. Please identify on the front of the envelope
for any protest, whether mailed or submitted in person to the
Board Secretary, that the enclosed letter is for the Public
Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Sewer Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors
will consider adopting the proposed rate increase. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal
protests unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the
close of the public hearing, written protests against the
proposed rate increases as outlined above are not presented
by a majority of the record owners or customers of record of
the identified property upon which they are proposed to be
imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases.
If adopted, the rates, fees and charges will apply to service
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter
serves as a 30‐day notice of rate increases.
The District is also proposing to adopt a five‐year schedule of
sewer rate increases to be implemented on services billed
beginning January 1, 2014, and periodically thereafter through
December 31, 2018. Under the proposed schedule, the
average amount a customer pays would increase an amount
sufficient to cover cost increases related to operations and
maintenance, but not to exceed 10 percent per year. The
increases under the schedule would cover the cost increases in
labor and benefits, materials, maintenance, administrative
expenses, and other operational costs of providing sewer
service.
In addition, this action would authorize periodic rate changes,
over the same five‐year period, to pass‐through increased or
decreased costs necessary to operate the public sewer system.
Any increases or decreases subsequently implemented by the
District would not exceed, or be less than, the cost of
providing the service and would be subject to a 30‐day prior
written notice, but would not be subject to additional hearings
or protests.
The first rate increase, in the average amount of 7.9 percent is
proposed to take effect on services billed on or after on
January 1, 2014. For a typical single‐family residential
customer, your bill is estimated to increase by approximately
$6.20 per month. This increase would pass‐through increases
to customers and would allow the District to recover the full
cost of providing this service.
(Continued on page 2)
PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED
OTAY WATER DISTRICT
SEWER RATE INCREASE
DATE _, 2013
3:30 P.M.
OTAY BOARD ROOM
2554 SWEETWATER SPRINGS BLVD.
SPRING VALLEY, 91978
Attachment I
Page 2
WHY ARE YOU RECEIVING THIS NOTICE?
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to
the California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively known as
“Proposition 218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District
is required to notify the record owner or customer of record of
proposed changes to property‐related fees such as sewer
services. This letter serves as notice that the District will hold a
public hearing to consider changes to its current rates.
WHAT DO SEWER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides
sewer service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means
that your bill reflects only those charges sufficient to support
your service. Each end user pays his or her fair share of the
costs associated with sewage disposal, including energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in
sewage treatment, administrative expenses, operations,
construction, repair and preventative maintenance of the
public sewer system and facilities. As a non‐profit public
agency, the District does not make a profit from providing this
service and it cannot operate at a loss. The District always
works to keep its expenses to a minimum and, as a result, has
rates for service that are among the lowest in San Diego
County.
The actions proposed by the District will help protect the
public’s investment in the public sewer system, reduce the
possibility of pipeline breaks, blockages or spills, and keep
rates affordable.
WHY ARE RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
To continue to provide service, the District must implement
certain rate and fee increases, and pass‐through to its
customers the full cost of providing the service. Such costs
include inspection and preventative maintenance of the public
sewer system, and replacement of aging sewer infrastructure.
The proposed rate structure will provide revenue that
recovers costs reasonably borne in providing the service; are
equitable to all customer classes; and are proportionate to the
cost of providing the service.
The District staff has performed a Cost of Service study (i.e.
reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and usage), and
determined that an increase in rates and fees is necessary in
order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and maintain
the public sewer system.
As a result, the following changes are being made to Residential
and Multi‐Residential Sewer Account’s rate calculations:
Residential
• Ensure water meter equivalencies used for sewer base
fees are consistent with AWWA water meter
equivalencies.
• Make the monthly base fee for Single‐Family Residential
(SFR) the same for both .75” and 1" meters.
Multi‐Residential
• Ensure water meter equivalencies used for sewer base
fees are consistent with AWWA water meter
equivalencies.
• Calculate the system fee using the meter size instead of
the .75” per dwelling unit.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall rate increase of 7.9 percent was considered by the
District as part of the annual budget adoption process. At the
Special Board meeting on March 18, 2013, staff was directed to
phase‐in the base sewer fee increases for single‐family
residential customers over a three year period. The District
will 1) adjust the 2014 base fee in accordance with the
regularly scheduled rate increase (not based on the Cost of
Service findings); 2) will adjust the 2015 base fee to equal the
2015 Cost of Service Study findings plus any rate increases
through the normal rate setting process; and 3) will recapture
the 2014 base fee shortfall of $1.30 per month in 2016.
Below is the calculation of the monthly amount that the
District will recapture from single‐family residential customers
in January 2016:
For a typical single‐family residential customer, if adopted,
your bill is estimated to increase by approximately $6.20 per
month. The new rates and fees will apply to service used as
early as the beginning of December 2013 and billed beginning
January 1, 2014.
(Continued from page 1)
2014
Cost of Service Study Rate $ 15.68
Proposed Rate $ 14.38
Amount to recapture $ 1.30
2014
Rate
7.9 %
increase
2015 Rate
Cost of Service Study Rate $ 15.68 $ 1.24 $ 16.92
Page 3
MULTI‐RESIDENTIAL
The monthly sewer charge for a typicalᶦ single‐family residential customer with either at .75” or 1” water meter and
a Winter Average² of 14 HCF (hundred cubic feet) will be calculated as follows:
Footnotes:
1 A typical bill is based on 11.9 HCF of water (14 HCF ‐ 2.1 HCF), where
one HCF equals 748 gallons or one unit of water. This 15 percent
discount is an acknowledgement that not all water purchased goes to
the sewer system. The maximum bill for a 3/4” meter is $__.00. The
maximum bill for a 1” meter (based on 30 HCF, which has already been
reduced by the 15 percent discount) is $__.00.
2. The Winter Average² is defined as the units of water billed from January
through April of the previous year divided by four. New customers will
have a Winter Average assigned of 14 HCF until a Winter Average can
be established.. The System Fee is based on the size of the water
meter.
CURRENT PROPOSED
$1.92 $2.35
USAGE FEE MONTHLY BASE FEE
CURRENT PROPOSED
.75” $13.30 $14.38
1” $19.40 $14.38
CURRENT JANUARY
2014
PROJECTED
2015
PROJECTED
2016
PROJECTED
2017
PROJECTED
2018
.75” $13.30 $14.38 $15.82 $17.40 $19.14 $21.05
1” $19.40 $14.38 $15.82 $17.40 $19.14 $21.05
SCHEDULE OF MONTHLY BASE FEES
CURRENT JANUARY
2014
PROJECTED
2015
PROJECTED
2016
PROJECTED
2017
PROJECTED
2018
$1.92 $2.35 $2.54 $2.74 $2.96 $3.19
SCHEDULE OF USAGE FEES
The total sewer bill for Multi‐Residential customers is calculated based on the meter size, and the Winter Average,
after being reduced by 15 percent, has no maximum. System Fees are also based on meter size.
USAGE FEE RATE x WINTER AVERAGE + MONTHLY BASE FEE
((Average Annual Consumption (1) X .85(2)) x Usage Fee) + Monthly Base Fee(3)
METER
SIZE
JANUARY
2014
PROJECTED
2015
PROJECTED
2016
PROJECTED
2017
PROJECTED
2018
.75” $25.83 $28.41 $31.25 $34.38 $37.82
1” $38.03 $41.83 $46.01 $50.61 $55.67
1.5” $68.53 $75.38 $82.92 $91.21 $100.33
2” $105.12 $115.63 $127.19 $139.91 $153.90
3” $190.52 $209.57 $230.53 $253.58 $278.94
4” $312.51 $343.76 $378.14 $415.95 $457.55
6” $617.48 $679.23 $747.15 $821.87 $904.06
8” $983.46 $1,081.81 $1,189.99 $1,308.99 $1,439.89
10” $1,410.42 $1,551.46 $1,706.61 $1,877.27 $2,065.00
SYSTEM FEE
PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL SEWER RATE INCREASE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
RESIDENTIAL SEWER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___ Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
RESIDENTIAL SEWER SERVICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
INCREASES TO RATES AND FEES FOR COMMERCIAL SEWER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __,
2013, at 3:30 p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting
Room, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA
91978, to consider the adoption of proposed increased
rates and fees, and a five‐year schedule of rate increases,
for its sewer service charges to the property for which
you are shown as the record owner or customer of
record. The purpose of the hearing is to consider all
written protests against the rate increases to the
District’s fees proposed to be imposed on properties
within the District. The amount of the proposed rate and
fee increases to be imposed and the basis upon which
they were determined is described in more detail as
follows.
As the record owner or customer of record of a
property identified to be subject to the imposition of the
proposed rate and fee increases, you may submit a
written protest against the proposed increases. Provided,
however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one
written protest will be counted. Each protest must be in
writing; state that the specific rate increase (commercial
sewer service rates and fees) for which the protest is
being submitted in opposition; provide the location of
the identified property (by assessor’s parcel number or
street address); and include the original signature of the
record owner or customer of record submitting the
protest.
Protests submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other
electronic means will not be accepted. Written protests
may be submitted by mail to the Board Secretary, Otay
Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring
Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so
long as they are received prior to the conclusion of the
public hearing. Please identify on the front of the
envelope for any protest, whether mailed or submitted
in person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed letter
is for the Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to
Commercial Sewer Rates and Fees.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of
Directors will consider adopting the proposed rate and
fees. Oral comments at the public hearing will not qualify
as formal protests unless accompanied by a written
protest. If, at the close of the public hearing, written
protests against the proposed rate and fees are not
presented by a majority of the record owners or
customers of record of the identified property upon
which they are proposed to be imposed, the Board of
Directors will be authorized to adopt the proposed rates
and fees. If adopted, the rates, fees and charges will
apply to service used as early as the beginning of
December 2013. This letter serves as a 30‐day notice of
rate increases.
In addition, the District shows a five‐year schedule of
projected sewer rate increases beginning January 1,
2014, and periodically thereafter through December 31,
2018. Under the schedule, the average amount a
customer pays would increase an amount sufficient to
cover cost increases related to operations and
maintenance, but not to exceed 10 percent per year. The
increases under the schedule would cover the cost
increases in labor and benefits, materials, maintenance,
administrative expenses, and other operational costs of
providing sewer service.
The District may also reclassify commercial sewer
customer from time to time, at the discretion of the
District, or when made aware of the need to reclassify a
business based on a change of activities based on that
businesses’ operations.
In addition, this action would authorize periodic rate
changes, over the same five‐year period, to pass‐through
increased or decreased costs necessary to operate the
public sewer system. Any increases or decreases
subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed, or be less than, the cost of providing the service
and would be subject to a 30‐day prior written notice,
but would not be subject to additional hearings or
protests.
(Continued on page 2)
PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED
OTAY WATER DISTRICT
SEWER RATE INCREASE
DATE _, 2013
3:30 P.M.
OTAY BOARD ROOM
2554 SWEETWATER SPRINGS BLVD.
SPRING VALLEY, 91978
Attachment J
Page 2
District staff has performed a Cost of
Service study (i.e. reviewed rates, fees,
charges, costs, and usage), and
determined that an increase in rates and
fees is necessary in order to recover
sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public sewer system. The
proposed rate and fee structure will
provide revenue that recovers costs
reasonably borne in providing the service;
are equitable to all customer classes; and
are proportionate to the cost of providing
the service.
As a result of the Cost of Service Study, the
following changes are being made to
Commercial Sewer Account’s rate
calculations:
• The elimination of the Assigned Service
Unit (ASU) calculation
• Creation of a system fee by water meter
size and using the annual average water
consumption for the usage charge
• Adjust commercial sewer strengths to
match changes to current industry
standards
• Match water meter equivalencies used
for sewer base fees are consistent with
those of the American Water Works
Association
• Eliminate the special formulas for
schools and churches and adopt charges
similar to commercial accounts
The District is a revenue‐neutral public
agency. To continue to provide service, the
District must implement certain rate and fee
increases, and pass‐through to its customers
the full cost of providing the service. Such
costs include inspection and preventative
maintenance of the public sewer system, and
replacement of aging sewer infrastructure.
This notice is being provided to you by the
District pursuant to the California
Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as
“Proposition 218”). Under terms of
Proposition 218, the District is required to
notify the record owner or customer of
record of proposed changes to property‐
related fees such as sewer services. This
letter serves as notice that the District will
hold a public hearing to consider changes to
its current rates.
(Continued from page 1)
CURRENT FORMULA FOR SEWER RATES AND FEES ‐ COMMERCIAL
CUSTOMERS
A monthly bill is calculated on Assigned Service Units (ASU) and is as follows:
((Flow in gallons per day (1) x 85%(2))/250(3)) X Strength Factor
The following is the District’s Strength Factors used in the ASU calculation:
DISTRICT STRENGTH FACTORS
1.000 LOW STRENGTH COMMERCIAL
1.238 MEDIUM STRENGTH COMMERCIAL
2.203 HIGH STRENGTH COMMERCIAL
CURRENT FORMULA FOR SEWER RATES AND FEES – SCHOOLS
The flow for public schools is based on the average daily attendance for the
prior year as reported by schools to meet state requirements. For elementary
schools, 50 students equal one ASU; for junior high schools, 40 students
equal one ASU; for high schools, 24 students equal one ASU. For colleges,
flow is based on the number of Certified and Classified Staff, and students
enrolled in each school session.
PROPOSED FORMULA FOR SEWER RATES AND FEES – ALL CUSTOMER
CATEGORIES
To be consistent with industry standard, the District proposes to calculate a
monthly bill based on the customer’s water use and the size of the water
meter. The proposed formula for calculating Commercial Sewer Rates and
Fess is as follows:
((Average Annual Consumption (1) X .85(2)) x Usage Fee(3)) + System Fee(4)
Footnotes:
1. The Average Annual Consumption
is defined as the units of water
billed from January through
December of the previous year.
2. The Average Annual Consumption
is reduced by 15 percent to reflect
that not all water used flows into
the sewer system.
3. The usage fee to be charged is
based on the strength category of
the commercial customer.
4. The system fee is based on the size
of the water meter
Footnotes:
1. Flow is calculated using the reads
from the business’ water meters.
2. Flow is reduced by 15 percent to
reflect that not all water used
flows into the sewer system.
3. Flow is divided by 250 gallons per
day to convert it in terms of
residential equivalence.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
COMMERCIAL SEWER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___ Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
COMMERCIAL SEWER SERVICE
Page 3
METER
SIZE
JANUARY
2014 PROJECTED
2015
PROJECTED
2016
PROJECTED
2017
PROJECTED
2018
.75” $25.83 $27.87 $30.07 $32.45 $35.01
1” $38.03 $41.03 $44.28 $47.77 $51.55
1.5” $68.53 $73.94 $79.78 $86.08 $92.89
2” $105.12 $113.43 $122.39 $132.09 $142.49
3” $190.52 $205.57 $221.81 $239.33 $258.24
4” $312.51 $337.20 $363.83 $392.58 $423.59
6” $617.48 $666.27 $718.90 $775.69 $836.97
8” $983.46 $1,061.51 $1,144.89 $1,235.43 $1,333.03
10” $1,410.42 $1,521.85 $1,642.08 $1,771.80 $1911.77
SYSTEM FEE
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL SEWER RATES AND FEES
The District also proposes to adjust the strength factors to match industry standard and proposes to eliminate the special
formulas for schools and churches. These types of entities will be categorized as Low Strength commercial customers. The
following are the proposed strength factors:
STRENGTH FACTOR
DESCRIPTION CURRENT JANUARY 2014
Schools Based on attendance 1.0
Churches 1.000 1.0
Low Strength Commercial 1.000 1.0
Medium Strength Commercial 1.238 2.0
High Strength Commercial 2.203 4.0
The following tables show the proposed rate increase effective January 1, 2014 and the projected 2015 through 2018
anticipated rate increases at 7.9 percent thereafter, which do not include the impact of any pass‐through increases.
Therefore, actual rates in each of the future years below may differ.
STRENGTH
FACTOR
CURRENT
JANUARY
2014
PROJECTED
2015
PROJECTED
2016
PROJECTED
2017
PROJECTED
2018
Low $45.30 $2.35 $2.53 $2.73 $2.95 $3.18
Medium $45.30 $3.37 $3.64 $3.93 $4.24 $4.57
High $45.30 $5.37 $5.80 $6.26 $6.75 $7.28
USAGE FEE
The following is the proposed System Fees based on the size of the water meter:
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED EXCLUSION OF TERRITORY FROM
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT 19 AND ANNEXATION TO IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT 22 AND
THE RESULTING IMPACT ON FEES
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN the Otay Water District (the “District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at
3:30 p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to
consider the exclusion of territory from Improvement District 19 (ID‐19) and annexation to Improvement District 22
(ID‐22), and the resulting impact of fees.
Fees for the two improvement districts are identical and are show below. Annexing ID 19 to ID 22 would improve
the efficiency of accounting and administration currently required by the two districts. The exclusion of territory
from ID‐19 and annexation to ID‐22 will not affect water rates or fees.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified to be subject to the exclusion of territory from
ID‐19 and annexation to ID‐22, you may submit a written protest against the proposed action. Provided, however, if
the identified property has more than one record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest will be
counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the specific action (exclusion of territory from ID‐19 and
annexation to ID‐22) for which the protest is being submitted in opposition; provide the location of the identified
property (by assessor’s parcel number or street address); and include the original signature of the record owner or
customer of record submitting the protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic means will
not be accepted. Written protests may be submitted by mail to the Board Secretary, Otay Water District, at 2554
Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so long as they are received
prior to the conclusion of the public hearing.
Please identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed or submitted in person to the Board
Secretary, that the enclosed letter is for the Public Hearing on the Exclusion of Territory from of Improvement
District 19 and annexation to Improvement District 22.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will consider adopting the proposed exclusion and
annexation. If adopted, the property annexed to ID‐22 shall be subject to a fee as shown in the table above, identical
to the fee previously charged for ID‐19. Oral comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests unless
accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public hearing, written protests against the proposed
exclusion and annexation are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of record of the
identified properties affected by the proposed action, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
proposed exclusion and annexation.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively
know as “Proposition 218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify the record owner or
customer of record of proposed changes to property‐related services. This letter serves as notice that the District
will hold a public hearing to consider exclusion of territory from ID‐19 and annexation to ID‐22.
Improvement District
Charge per year per
acre for parcels one
acre or more
Charge per year for a
parcel less than one
acre
19 $30.00 $10.00
$30.00 $10.00
Land outside an Improvement District $10.00 $10.00
Land outside an Improvement District and greater
than one mile from District facilities $3.00 $3.00
22
Attachment K
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___ Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
WATER SERVICE
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED EXCLUSION OF TERRITORY FROM
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT 25 AND ANNEXATION TO IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT 20
AND THE RESULTING IMPACT ON FEES
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN the Otay Water District (the “District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013,
at 3:30 p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978,
to consider the exclusion of territory from Improvement District 25 (ID‐25) and annexation to Improvement
District 20 (ID‐20), and the resulting impact on fees.
Fees for the two improvement districts are identical as show below. Annexing ID 25 to ID 20 would improve the
efficiency of accounting and administration currently required by the two districts. The exclusion of territory from
ID‐25 and annexation to ID‐20 will not affect water rates or fees.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified to be subject to the exclusion of territory from
ID‐25 and annexation to ID‐20, you may submit a written protest against the proposed action. Provided,
however, if the identified property has more than one record owner and/or customer of record, only one written
protest will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the specific action (exclusion of territory of ID‐
25 and annexation to ID‐20) for which the protest is being submitted in opposition; provide the location of the
identified property (by assessor’s parcel number or street address); and include the original signature of the
record owner or customer of record submitting the protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other
electronic means will not be accepted. Written protests may be submitted by mail to the Board Secretary, Otay
Water District, at 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so
long as they are received prior to the conclusion of the public hearing.
Please identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed or submitted in person to the Board
Secretary, that the enclosed letter is for the Public Hearing on the Exclusion of Territory from Improvement
District 25 and Annexation to Improvement District 20.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will consider adopting the proposed exclusion and
annexation. If adopted, the property annexed to ID‐25 shall be subject to a fee as shown in the table above,
identical to the fee previously charged for ID‐20. Oral comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal
protests unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public hearing, written protests against
the proposed exclusion and annexation are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties affected by the proposed action, the Board of Directors will be authorized to
adopt the proposed exclusion and annexation.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the California Constitution Article XIIID
(collectively know as “Proposition 218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify the
record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to property‐related services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider exclusion of territory from ID‐25 and annexation to ID‐20.
Improvement District
Charge per year per
acre for parcels one
acre or more
Charge per year for a
parcel less than one
acre
20 $30.00 $10.00
$30.00 $10.00
Land outside an Improvement District $10.00 $10.00
Land outside an Improvement District and greater
than one mile from District facilities $3.00 $3.00
25
Attachment L
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___ Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
WATER SERVICE
FY 2014 Budget Workshop
May 14, 2013
1
Attachment M
2
Option A Option B Variance
Rate Increase 7.5% 6.4% 1.1%
Debt Coverage Ratio 134% 129% 5.0%
Lowest Water Provider 8th 7th 1
Total Operating Budget $ 86,101,100 $ 85,763,100 $ 338,000
Potable Water Sales $ 67,033,500 $ 66,720,500 $ 313,000
Recycled Water Sales $ 8,340,100 $ 8,314,700 $ 25,400
Reserve Funding Operating $ 11,091,800 $ 10,753,800 $ 338,000
Reserve Funding Transfers $ 2,199,000 $ 2,624,000 $ 425,000
►Review FY 2014 Strategic Plan
►Present for approval an $85.8M Operating Budget
►Present for approval an $13.8M CIP Budget
►Request approval to move forward to include in the budget average
rate increases beginning with the January 2014 billing
►Water – 6.4%
►Sewer – 7.9%
►Obtain direction to prepare and send 5-year Proposition 218 notices of water and sewer rate increases
►Request approval of the annual fund transfers
►Approve temporary reduction in potable replacement fund (setting balance below target budget but above minimum) to avoid short-term external borrowing
3
14
►Increase debt coverage ratio to the 150% target
►Fund the $85.8M Operating Budget
►Fund the $13.8M Capital Budget (to include temporary borrowing)
►Maintain all reserves at target levels in all years – supported by fund transfers
►Replacement Fund returns to target level in FY15 with additional temporary reductions (below target but above minimum) in future years
►Adheres to the Reserve Policy guidelines
15
Potable
Replacement to Designated Betterment $540,000 Replacement to Designated Expansion $782,000
Sewer General Fund to Designated Betterment $774,000 Potable to Sewer Potable Replacement to Designated Sewer Expansion $ 40,000 Potable Replacement to Designated Sewer Betterment $221,000 Potable Replacement to Sewer Replacement $267,000
16
Potable Recycled Sewer Total
Reserve Funding
Expansion Reserve $3,103,000 - - $3,103,000
Betterment Reserve - $110,000 - 110,000
Replacement Reserve - 4,230,000 - 4,230,000
Sewer General Fund 152,800 - - 152,800
OPEB Trust 1,114,600 66,900 $61,400 1,242,900
Potable General Fund 1,915,100 - - 1,915,100
Total Reserve Funding $6,285,500 $4,406,900 $61,400 $10,753,800
17
Water Rate Increase
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
FY13 7.4% 7.3% 7.2% 2.9% 2.8% 2.7%
FY14 6.4% 6.4% 10.6% 5.3% 3.3% 3.3%
Debt Coverage Ratio (No Growth)
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
FY13 105% 124% 154% 164% 163% 175%
FY14 129% 150% 150% 150% 157% 150%
Sewer Rate Increase
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
FY13 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9%
FY14 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9% 7.9%
18
1.57
2.10 2.27
2.62 2.80
2.30
1.29
1.50 1.50 1.50 1.57 1.50
1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
300%
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Debt Ratio Operational Debt Ratio Minimum Debt Ratio
100% of the Budgeted Cost Increase due to
Supplier’s Rate Increases
19
100%
CWA & MWD, City
and County of San
Diego and SDG&E
Otay Debt Coverage
and Reserve Funding
Items putting upward pressure on rates
►Water costs increase of $3,262,700 million
►Carlsbad Desal not built into Rate Model
►Administrative costs increase of $277,700
21
23
$-
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$6
1
.
6
5
$6
7
.
9
7
$6
9
.
5
8
$7
2
.
1
3
$7
4
.
4
0
$7
5
.
8
1
$7
7
.
0
9
$7
7
.
4
4
$7
7
.
8
3
$7
8
.
7
7
$7
9
.
3
0
$8
1
.
0
1
$8
2
.
9
5
$8
4
.
9
4
$8
6
.
9
3
$8
7
.
9
3
$8
8
.
3
4
$9
0
.
8
7
$9
5
.
5
2
$1
0
5
.
4
0
$1
0
7
.
5
2
$1
1
0
.
0
4
$1
1
2
.
2
7
SURVEY OF MEMBER AGENCY WATER RATES
14 Unit Water Use and 3/4" Residential Meter
Water bill effective January 2014
Otay is 7th lowest
water provider
FY 2013
Budget
FY 2014
Budget Variance
Water Sales $ 39,110,200 $ 42,359,800 $ 3,249,600
System Fees 10,328,400 11,184,200 855,800
Energy Fees 1,809,500 1,958,100 148,600
MWD and CWA Fixed Fees 9,705,800 10,395,800 690,000
Penalties 800,500 822,600 22,100
Total Water Sales $ 61,754,400 $ 66,720,500 $ 4,966,100
42
►Sales dollar increase of $4,966,100 or 8.0%
►$3,144,600 is due to FY13 increases and volume changes
►$1,821,500 is due to FY14 rate increases
►Potable water volume increase of 26,300 units or 0.2%
►Fixed fees set at 30% of total water revenue per Best Management Practices 1.4
43
►Sales dollar increase of $612,300 or 7.9%
►$464,300 due to FY13 rate increase, rate structure and volume changes
►$148,000 is due to FY14 proposed rate increase
►Recycled water volume increase of 23,600 units or 1.3%
FY 2013
Budget
FY 2014
Budget Variance
Water Sales $ 5,561,600 $ 6,078,000 $ 516,400
System Fees 292,200 355,900 63,700
Energy Fees 305,300 315,400 10,100
MWD and CWA Rebates 1,505,600 1,526,600 21,000
Penalties 37,700 38,800 1,100
Total Recycled Water Sales $ 7,702,400 $ 8,314,700 $ 612,300
62
Potable Recycled Sewer Total
Revenues
Water Sales $66,720,500 $8,314,700 $ - $75,035,200
Sewer Revenues - - 2,701,600 2,701,600
Other Revenues 7,504,300 6,100 151,300 7,661,700
Transfers 149,800 62,000 152,800 364,600
Total Revenues $74,374,600 $8,382,800 $3,005,700 $85,763,100
Expenditures
Water Purchases $43,425,600 $1,599,500 $ - $45,025,100
Power 2,068,100 523,600 101,600 2,693,300
Labor and Benefits 16,259,200 1,259,900 1,156,300 18,675,400
Administrative Expenses 4,480,500 310,400 291,700 5,082,600
Materials & Maintenance 1,855,700 282,500 1,394,700 3,532,900
Reserve Funding 6,285,500 4,406,900 61,400 10,753,800
Total Expenditures $74,374,600 $8,382,800 $3,005,700 $85,763,100
►Balanced budget which meets the water needs
of our customers and supports the Strategic
Plan
►Option B - Supported by a 6.4% potable and
recycled average water rate increase
►Supported by a 7.9% average rate increase in
sewer charges
►Improvement Districts Detachment and
Annexation Proposition 218 Notices
67
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30
p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption
of rate increases that apply with water billed beginning January 1,
2014; (2) authorize all future pass‐through increased or decreased
charges from water and power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average
rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other
than the pass‐through costs, for its water service fees to the property
for which you are shown as the record owner or customer of record.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider all written protests against
the proposed rate increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on
properties within the District. The amount of the rate and fee
increases proposed to be imposed and the basis upon which they
were calculated is described in more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 6.4 percent was considered by
the District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. If adopted, for a typical single‐family residential water
customer using 14 units of water per month (14 HCF or 10,472
gallons), your water bill will increase by $3.33 per month. The new
water rates and fees will apply to water used as early as the
beginning of December 2013.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly
charges and variable monthly charges based on water consumption.
The fixed amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of
operating and maintaining the public water system and are based on
the size of the water meter serving the record owner or customer of
record. Fixed charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s
System Fee. The variable components of the rate structure will
generally impose greater charges as the level of water consumption
increases. The variable components are structured in such a way as
to deter waste and encourage conservation. The variable
components of the bill include the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and
Water Charge by Improvement District. The components are
calculated to recover the proportionate cost of providing the service
attributable to each class of customer.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐throughs to its
customers of all future increased or decreased charges from water
and power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates
would increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from
wholesale water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to
lower charges from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to
increased or decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s
suppliers including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), the City
of San Diego, and for power charges from San Diego Gas & Electric.
Any increases subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed the cost of providing the service and would be subject to a
30‐day prior written notice, but would not be subject to additional
hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing water service, including amounts required to meet
bond covenants and to maintain adequate reserves and rate stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee
structure will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne
in providing the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are
proportionate to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 6.4 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other
recent increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not
anticipate additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to
implement increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified
to be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases,
you may submit a written protest against the proposed actions.
Provided, however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest
will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the
specific rate increase (water service rates and fees) for which the
protest is being submitted in opposition; provide the location of the
identified property (by assessor’s parcel number or street address);
and include the original signature of the record owner or customer of
record submitting the protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail,
facsimile, or other electronic means will not be accepted. Written
protests may be submitted by mail to the Board Secretary, Otay
Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA
91978, or in person at the public hearing, so long as they are received
prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. Please identify on the
front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed or submitted in
person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed letter is for the
Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Water Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to
be imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves
as a 30‐day notice of proposed to rate increases.
(Continued on page 2)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICE
Attachment N
Page 2
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to its
current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, and the City of San Diego.
Similarly, increases or decreases from San Diego Gas and Electric are
pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each end
user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water, energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in water
treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction and
maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also includes
amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain adequate
reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public agency, it
does not make a profit from providing water service and it cannot
operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion of
existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water desalination.
In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water
from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser increase
of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact the
higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District works
continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient, while
still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed with
an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10 inches
of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐arid
climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported from
sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water from
Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the District
is actively supporting the development of an ocean water desalination
facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐quality water
from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the water we receive
from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Page 3
Footnotes
1. These are fixed fees and are based on meter size. The System Fee is
increasing to pay for the higher water system replacement, maintenance,
and operating expenses. The MWD & CWA fee matches in total the cost
charged by wholesale water suppliers.
2. This cost varies based on water usage and can be calculated using the
consumption block tables. One unit of consumption equals 748 gallons of
water or one HCF (hundred cubic feet). The example used above is based
on 14 units of consumption.
3. The Conservation Tier discount applies toward the first five units of water
when overall consumption is ten units or less.
4. The Energy Charge represents the cost of the energy required to pump or
lift each unit of water 100 feet in elevation. This is charged proportionately
for every foot of elevation over 450 feet. The increase/decrease is due to
increased/decreased power costs charged to the District.
5. This charge is a per unit charge and your bill will vary based on your water
consumption. Improvement District charges do not apply to the first five
units of water per month.
6. Charges collected through the property tax role (availability fees and
general obligation debt) are not included in this total.
7. Fire Service requires a separate meter and is a monthly fee based on
meter size. The Fire Service Fee is decreasing based on the Cost of Service
study.
8. Your bill will vary based on meter size, water consumption in units, and
geographic location.
9. Projected rates (2015‐2018) are for information purposes only.
Typical Bill based on 14 HCF (or water units) per Month
MWD&CWA1 System Fee1 Water Rate2 Energy Charge4 Water Charge by
Improvement District5 Total6
Current $13.28 $16.74 $40.90 $2.05 $0.79 $73.76
Proposed $14.45 $16.19 $44.08 $2.33 $0.79 $77.84
$4.08 Increase in monthly water bill8
This information reflects only changes to rates. For a comprehensive listing of rates, please see the
Otay Water District’s Code of Ordinances at www.otaywater.gov.
Consumption Blocks by Unit and Usage Fee2 and Projected9 ‐ Residential Water (2014—2018)
Consumption Blocks
(in Units)2 Current 2014
Proposed
Projected
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Conservation Tier4 $1.73 $1.86 $2.00 $2.15 $2.31 $2.37
6 ‐ 10 $2.69 $2.90 $3.11 $3.35 $3.60 $3.68
11 ‐ 22 $3.50 $3.77 $4.05 $4.35 $4.68 $4.79
23 or more $5.39 $5.80 $6.24 $6.71 $7.21 $7.37
System Fee1 by Meter Size (including Projections9)
Meter
Size Current
2014
Proposed
Projected
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.40 $18.71 $20.11 $20.58
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.59 $26.43 $28.41 $29.06
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.55 $45.74 $49.17 $50.30
2" $46.13 $59.62 $64.09 $64.09 $74.07 $75.77
MWD & CWA Fixed Fees1 (including Projections9)
Meter
Size Current
2014
Proposed
Projected
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
3/4" $13.28 $14.45 $15.53 $16.70 $17.95 $18.36
1" $22.12 $26.79 $28.80 $30.96 $33.28 $34.05
1 1/2" $44.31 $60.61 $65.16 $70.04 $75.30 $77.03
2" $70.85 $103.08 $110.81 $119.12 $128.06 $131.00
Other Charges8 Current
2014
Proposed
Projected9
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Energy Charges4 $0.042 $0.048 $0.051 $0.056 $0.059 $0.061
Improvement District5
No. 3 $0.21 $0.21 $0.21 $0.21 $0.21 $0.21
Improvement District5
No. 10 $0.27 $0.27 $0.27 $0.27 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa5 $0.08 $0.08 $0.08 $0.08 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service7 $34.57
≤3” Meter
$21.14
≤3” Meter
$22.73
≤3” Meter
$24.43
≤3” Meter
$26.26
≤3” Meter
$26.87
≥4” Meter
$28.49
≥4” Meter
$30.63
≥4” Meter
$32.92
≥4” Meter
$35.39
≥4” Meter
$36.21
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
WATER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30
p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption
of rate increases that apply with water billed beginning January 1,
2014; (2) authorize all future pass‐through increased or decreased
charges from water and power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average
rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other
than the pass‐through costs, for its water service fees to the property
for which you are shown as the record owner or customer of record.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider all written protests against
the proposed rate increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on
properties within the District. The amount of the rate and fee
increases proposed to be imposed and the basis upon which they
were calculated is described in more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 6.4 percent was considered by
the District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. The new water rates and fees will apply to water used as
early as the beginning of December 2013.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly
charges and variable monthly charges based on water consumption.
The fixed amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of
operating and maintaining the public water system and are based on
the size of the water meter serving the record owner or customer of
record. Fixed charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s
System Fee. The variable components of the rate structure will
generally impose greater charges as the level of water consumption
increases. The variable components are structured in such a way as
to deter waste and encourage conservation. The variable
components of the bill include the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and
Water Charge By Improvement District. The components are
calculated to recover the proportionate cost of providing the service
attributable to each customer within each customer class.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐through to its
customers all future increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates
would increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from
wholesale water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to
lower charges from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to
increased or decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s
suppliers including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), Helix
Water District, the City of San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
Any increases subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed the cost of providing the service and would be subject to a
30‐day prior written notice, but would not be subject to additional
hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing water service, including amounts required to meet
bond covenants and maintain adequate reserves and rate stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee
structure will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne
in providing the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are
proportionate to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 6.4 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other
recent increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not
anticipate additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to
implement increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified
to be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases,
you may submit a written protest against the proposed actions.
Provided, however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest
will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the
specific rate increase (multi‐residential water service rates and fees)
for which the protest is being submitted in opposition; provide the
location of the identified property (by assessor’s parcel number or
street address); and include the original signature of the record
owner or customer of record submitting the protest. Protests
submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic means will not be
accepted. Written protests may be submitted by mail to the Board
Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.,
Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so long as
they are received prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. Please
identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed
or submitted in person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed
letter is for the Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Multi‐
Residential Water Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to
be imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves
as a 30‐day notice of proposed to rate increases.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
(Continued on page 2)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR MULTI-RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICE
Attachment O
Page 2
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to its
current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, the Helix Water District,
and the City of San Diego. Similarly, increases or decreases from San
Diego Gas and Electric are pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each end
user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water, energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in water
treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction and
maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also includes
amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain adequate
reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public agency, it
does not make a profit from providing water service and it cannot
operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion of
existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water desalination.
In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water
from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser increase
of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact the
higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District works
continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient, while
still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed with
an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10 inches
of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐arid
climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported from
sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water from
Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the District
is actively supporting the development of an ocean water desalination
facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐quality water
from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the water we receive
from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Footnotes
1 . This cost varies based on water usage and can be calculated using the
consumption block tables. One unit of consumption equals 748
gallons of water.
2. Projected rates (2015‐2018) are for information purposes only.
3. These fees are based on the meter size. The MWD&CWA fee is
increasing to match the cost from the District’s water suppliers. The
System Fee is increasing to pay for higher water system replacement,
maintenance, and operating expenses.
4. The Energy Charge represents the cost of energy required to pump
each unit of water 100 feet in elevation. This is charged
proportionately for every foot of elevation over 450 feet. This
increase is due to increased power costs to the District.
5. This charge is a per unit charge and your bill will vary based on water
consumption. Fire Service requires a separate meter and is a monthly fee
based on meter size. The Fire Service Fee is decreasing based on the Cost
of Service study.
MWD & CWA Fixed Fees3 Size (including Projections2 )
Meter Size Current 2014 Proposed 2015 Projected 2016 Projected 2017 Projected 2018 Projected
3/4" $13.28 $14.45 $15.37 $17.00 $17.91 $18.50
1" $22.12 $26.79 $28.50 $31.53 $33.20 $34.29
1 1/2" $44.31 $60.61 $64.49 $71.32 $75.11 $77.58
2" $70.85 $103.08 $109.68 $121.30 $127.73 $131.95
3" $141.71 $219.23 $233.26 $257.99 $271.66 $280.62
4" $221.43 $351.09 $373.56 $413.16 $435.05 $449.41
6" $442.80 $718.69 $764.69 $845.74 $890.57 $919.96
8" $708.53 $1,160.59 $1,234.87 $1,365.76 $1,438.15 $1,485.61
10" $1,015.06 $1,670.55 $1,777.47 $1,965.88 $2,070.07 $2,138.38
Meter Size Current 2014 Proposed 2015 Projected 2016 Projected 2017 Projected 2018 Projected
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.23 $19.05 $20.06 $20.72
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.33 $26.91 $28.34 $29.27
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.11 $46.58 $49.05 $50.66
2" $46.13 $59.62 $63.44 $70.16 $73.88 $76.32
3" $82.29 $113.08 $120.32 $133.07 $140.12 $144.75
4" $122.99 $173.22 $184.31 $203.84 $214.67 $221.73
6" $236.02 $340.29 $362.07 $400.45 $421.67 $435.59
8" $371.64 $540.76 $575.37 $636.36 $670.08 $692.20
10" $529.88 $774.64 $824.22 $911.58 $959.90 $991.57
System Fee3 by Meter Size (including Projections2)
Other Charges Current 2014 Proposed
Energy Charges4 $0.042 $0.048
Improvement District5No. 3 $0.21 $0.21
Improvement District5No. 10 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa5 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service6
<3” Meter
$21.14
>4” Meter
$28.49
$34.57
2015
Projected
$0.051
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$22.49
>4” Meter
$30.31
2016
Projected
$0.056
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$24.88
>4” Meter
$33.53
2017
Projected
$0.059
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$26.20
>4” Meter
$35.30
2018
Projected
$0.061
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$27.06
>4” Meter
$36.47
Government Fee $0.29 $0.31 $0.33 $0.36 $0.38 $0.40
PROPOSED MULTI‐RESIDENTIAL WATER RATES
Water Usage Fee1 ‐ Consumption Blocks (including Projections2)
Consumption
Blocks1 Current Current
2014
Proposed
Projected
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
0 ‐ 4 $2.66 $2.82 $3.00 $3.00 $3.32 $3.49
5 ‐ 9 $3.45 $3.66 $3.89 $3.89 $4.30 $4.53
10 or more $5.32 $5.64 $6.00 $6.00 $6.63 $6.99
Projected
2018
$3.61
$4.68
$7.22
This information reflects only
changes to rates. For a
comprehensive listing of rates,
please see the Otay Water
District’s Code of Ordinances at
www.otaywater.gov.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
MULTI‐RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
MULTI‐RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30
p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption
of rate increases that apply with water billed beginning January 1,
2014; (2) authorize all future pass‐through increased or decreased
charges from water and power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average
rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other
than the pass‐through costs, for its water service fees to the property
for which you are shown as the record owner or customer of record.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider all written protests against
the proposed rate increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on
properties within the District. The amount of the rate and fee
increases proposed to be imposed and the basis upon which they
were calculated is described in more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 6.4 percent was considered by
the District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. The new water rates and fees will apply to water used as
early as the beginning of December 2013.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly
charges and variable monthly charges based on water consumption.
The fixed amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of
operating and maintaining the public water system and are based on
the size of the water meter serving the record owner or customer of
record. Fixed charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s
System Fee. The variable components of the rate structure will
generally impose greater charges as the level of water consumption
increases. The variable components are structured in such a way as
to deter waste and encourage conservation. The variable
components of the bill include the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and
Water Charge By Improvement District. The components are
calculated to recover the proportionate cost of providing the service
attributable to each customer within each customer class.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐through to its
customers all future increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates
would increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from
wholesale water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to
lower charges from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to
increased or decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s
suppliers including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), Helix
Water District, the City of San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
Any increases subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed the cost of providing the service and would be subject to a
30‐day prior written notice, but would not be subject to additional
hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing water service, including amounts required to meet
bond covenants and maintain adequate reserves and rate stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee
structure will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne
in providing the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are
proportionate to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 6.4 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other
recent increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not
anticipate additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to
implement increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified
to be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases,
you may submit a written protest against the proposed actions.
Provided, however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest
will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the
specific rate increase (Public and Commercial water service rates and
fees) for which the protest is being submitted in opposition; provide
the location of the identified property (by assessor’s parcel number
or street address); and include the original signature of the record
owner or customer of record submitting the protest. Protests
submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic means will not be
accepted. Written protests may be submitted by mail to the Board
Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.,
Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so long as
they are received prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. Please
identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether mailed
or submitted in person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed
letter is for the Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Water
Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to
be imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves
as a 30‐day notice of proposed to rate increases.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
(Continued on page 2)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL
WATER SERVICE
Attachment P
Page 2
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to its
current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, the Helix Water District,
and the City of San Diego. Similarly, increases or decreases from San
Diego Gas and Electric are pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each end
user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water, energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in water
treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction and
maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also includes
amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain adequate
reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public agency, it
does not make a profit from providing water service and it cannot
operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion of
existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water desalination.
In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water
from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser increase
of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact the
higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District works
continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient, while
still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed with
an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10 inches
of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐arid
climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported from
sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water from
Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the District
is actively supporting the development of an ocean water desalination
facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐quality water
from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the water we receive
from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Footnotes
1. This cost varies based on water usage
and can be calculated using the
consumption block tables. One unit of
consumption equals 748 gallons of
water.
2. Projected rates (2015‐2018) are for
information purposes only.
3. These fees are based on the meter
size. The MWD&CWA fee is increasing
to match the cost from the District’s
water suppliers. The System Fee is
increasing to pay for higher water
system replacement, maintenance, and
operating expenses.
4. The Energy Charge represents the cost
of energy required to pump each unit of
water 100 feet in elevation. This is
charged proportionately for every foot
of elevation over 450 feet. This increase
is due to increased power costs to the
District.
5. This charge is a per unit charge and your bill
will vary based on water consumption.
6. Fire Service requires a separate meter and is
a monthly fee based on meter size. The Fire
Service Fee is decreasing based on the Cost
of Service study.
This information reflects only
changes to rates. For a
comprehensive listing of rates,
please see the Otay Water
District’s Code of Ordinances at
www.otaywater.gov.
Consumption Block1 Proposed Current Rate
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
0 ‐ 173 0 ‐ 185 $2.84 $3.01 $3.20 $3.54 $3.73 $3.85
174 ‐ 831 186 ‐ 1,400 $2.92 $3.09 $3.29 $3.64 $3.83 $3.96
832+ 1,401+ $2.96 $3.14 $3.34 $3.69 $3.89 $4.02
Public and Commercial Water Usage Fee (<10” Meter) and Projected
Public and Commercial Water Usage Fee (10”+ Meter) and Projected
0 ‐ 7,426 0 ‐ 7,426 $2.84 $3.01 $3.20 $3.54 $3.73 $3.85
7,427–14,616 7,427 –14,616 $2.92 $3.09 $3.29 $3.64 $3.83 $3.96
14,617+ 14,617+ $2.96 $3.14 $3.34 $3.69 $3.89 $4.02
MWD & CWA Fixed Fees3 Size (including Projections2 )
Meter
Size
Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
3/4" $13.28 $14.44 $15.37 $17.00 $17.91 $18.50
1" $22.12 $26.77 $28.50 $31.53 $33.20 $34.29
1 1/2" $44.31 $60.57 $64.49 $71.32 $75.11 $77.58
2" $70.85 $103.02 $109.68 $121.30 $127.73 $131.95
3" $141.71 $219.08 $233.26 $257.99 $271.66 $280.62
4" $221.43 $350.85 $373.56 $413.16 $435.05 $449.41
6" $442.80 $718.20 $764.69 $845.74 $890.57 $919.96
8" $708.53 $1,159.81 $1,234.87 $1,365.76 $1,438.15 $1,485.61
10" $1,015.06 $1,669.42 $1,777.47 $1,965.88 $2,070.07 $2,138.38
Meter
Size
Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
3/4" $16.74 $14.45 $17.23 $19.05 $20.06 $20.72
1" $21.26 $26.79 $24.33 $26.91 $28.34 $29.27
1 1/2" $32.57 $60.61 $42.11 $46.58 $49.05 $50.66
2" $46.13 $103.08 $63.44 $70.16 $73.88 $76.32
3" $82.29 $219.23 $120.32 $133.07 $140.12 $144.75
4" $122.99 $351.09 $184.31 $203.84 $214.67 $221.73
6" $236.02 $718.69 $362.07 $400.45 $421.67 $435.59
8" $371.64 $1,160.59 $575.37 $636.36 $670.08 $692.20
10" $529.88 $1,670.55 $824.22 $911.58 $959.90 $991.57
System Fee3 by Meter Size (including Projections2 )
Other Charges
Current
2014
Proposed
Energy Charges4 $0.042 $0.048
Improvement District5No. 3 $0.21 $0.21
Improvement District5No. 10 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa5 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service6
<3” Meter
$21.14
>4” Meter
$28.49
$34.57
2015
Projected
$0.051
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$22.49
>4” Meter
$30.31
2016
Projected
$0.056
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$24.88
>4” Meter
$33.53
2017
Projected
$0.059
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$26.20
>4” Meter
$35.30
2018
Projected
$0.061
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$27.06
>4” Meter
$36.47
Government Fee $0.29 $0.31 $0.33 $0.36 $0.38 $0.40
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL WATER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the
“District”) will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30
p.m. in the Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption
of rate increases that apply with water billed beginning January 1,
2014; (2) authorize all future pass‐through increased or decreased
charges from water and power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average
rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other
than the pass‐through costs, for its water service fees to the property
for which you are shown as the record owner or customer of record.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider all written protests against
the proposed rate increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on
properties within the District. The amount of the rate and fee
increases proposed to be imposed and the basis upon which they
were calculated is described in more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 6.4 percent was considered by
the District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. The new water rates and fees will apply to water used as
early as the beginning of December 2013.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly
charges and variable monthly charges based on water consumption.
The fixed amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of
operating and maintaining the public water system and are based on
the size of the water meter serving the record owner or customer of
record. Fixed charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s
System Fee. The variable components of the rate structure will
generally impose greater charges as the level of water consumption
increases. The variable components are structured in such a way as
to deter waste and encourage conservation. The variable
components of the bill include the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and
Water Charge By Improvement District. The components are
calculated to recover the proportionate cost of providing the service
attributable to each customer within each customer class.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐through to its
customers all future increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates
would increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from
wholesale water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to
lower charges from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to
increased or decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s
suppliers including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), Helix
Water District, the City of San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
Any increases subsequently implemented by the District would not
exceed the cost of providing the service and would be subject to a
30‐day prior written notice, but would not be subject to additional
hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing water service, including amounts required to meet
bond covenants and maintain adequate reserves and rate stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee
structure will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne
in providing the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are
proportionate to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 6.4 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other
recent increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not
anticipate additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to
implement increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified
to be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases,
you may submit a written protest against the proposed actions.
Provided, however, if the identified property has more than one
record owner and/or customer of record, only one written protest
will be counted. Each protest must be in writing; state that the
specific rate increase (Landscape, Agricultural, and Construction
water service rates and fees) for which the protest is being submitted
in opposition; provide the location of the identified property (by
assessor’s parcel number or street address); and include the original
signature of the record owner or customer of record submitting the
protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic
means will not be accepted. Written protests may be submitted by
mail to the Board Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public
hearing, so long as they are received prior to the conclusion of the
public hearing. Please identify on the front of the envelope for any
protest, whether mailed or submitted in person to the Board
Secretary, that the enclosed letter is for the Public Hearing on the
Proposed Increase to Water Rates.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to
be imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the
rate increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water
used as early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves
as a 30‐day notice of proposed to rate increases.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
(Continued on page 2)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR LANDSCAPE, AGRICULTURAL, AND
CONSTRUCTION WATER SERVICE
Attachment Q
Page 2
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as notice
that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to its
current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, the Helix Water District,
and the City of San Diego. Similarly, increases or decreases from San
Diego Gas and Electric are pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each end
user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water, energy or
pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used in water
treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction and
maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also includes
amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain adequate
reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public agency, it
does not make a profit from providing water service and it cannot
operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion of
existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water desalination.
In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water
from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser increase
of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact the
higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District works
continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient, while
still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed with
an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10 inches
of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐arid
climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported from
sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water from
Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the District
is actively supporting the development of an ocean water desalination
facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐quality water
from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the water we receive
from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Footnotes
1. This cost varies based on
water usage and can be
calculated using the
consumption block tables.
One unit of consumption
equals 748 gallons of
water.
2. Projected rates (2015‐
2018) are for information
purposes only.
3. These fees are based on
the meter size. The
MWD&CWA fee is
increasing to match the
cost from the District’s
water suppliers. The
System Fee is increasing
to pay for higher water
system replacement,
maintenance, and
operating expenses.
4. The Energy Charge
represents the cost of
energy required to pump
each unit of water 100
feet in elevation. This is
charged proportionately
for every foot of elevation
over 450 feet. This
increase is due to
increased power costs to
the District.
5. This charge is a per unit charge
and your bill will vary based on
water consumption.
6. Fire Service requires a
separate meter and is a
monthly fee based on meter
size. The Fire Service Fee is
decreasing based on the Cost
of Service study.
This information reflects only
changes to rates. For a
comprehensive listing of rates,
please see the Otay Water
District’s Code of Ordinances
at www.otaywater.gov.
MWD & CWA Fixed Fees3 Size (including Projections2 )
Meter Size Current 2014 Proposed 2015 Projected 2016 Projected 2017 Projected 2018 Projected
3/4" $13.28 $14.45 $15.37 $17.00 $17.91 $18.50
1" $22.12 $26.79 $28.50 $31.53 $33.20 $34.29
1 1/2" $44.31 $60.61 $64.49 $71.32 $75.11 $77.58
2" $70.85 $103.08 $109.68 $121.30 $127.73 $131.95
3" $141.71 $219.23 $233.26 $257.99 $271.66 $280.62
4" $221.43 $351.09 $373.56 $413.16 $435.05 $449.41
6" $442.80 $718.69 $764.69 $845.74 $890.57 $919.96
8" $708.53 $1,160.59 $1,234.87 $1,365.76 $1,438.15 $1,485.61
10" $1,015.06 $1,670.55 $1,777.47 $1,965.88 $2,070.07 $2,138.38
Meter Size Current 2014 Proposed 2015 Projected 2016 Projected 2017 Projected 2018 Projected
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.23 $19.05 $20.06 $20.72
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.33 $26.91 $28.34 $29.27
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.11 $46.58 $49.05 $50.66
2" $46.13 $59.62 $63.44 $70.16 $73.88 $76.32
3" $82.29 $113.08 $120.32 $133.07 $140.12 $144.75
4" $122.99 $173.22 $184.31 $203.84 $214.67 $221.73
6" $236.02 $340.29 $362.07 $400.45 $421.67 $435.59
8" $371.64 $540.76 $575.37 $636.36 $670.08 $692.20
10" $529.88 $774.64 $824.22 $911.58 $959.90 $991.57
System Fee3 by Meter Size (including Projections2 )
Other Charges Current 2014 Proposed
Energy Charges4 $0.042 $0.048
Improvement District5No. 3 $0.21 $0.21
Improvement District5No. 10 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa5 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service6
<3” Meter
$21.14
>4” Meter
$28.49
$34.57
2015
Projected
$0.053
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$22.49
>4” Meter
$30.31
2016
Projected
$0.058
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$24.88
>4” Meter
$33.53
2017
Projected
$0.064
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$26.20
>4” Meter
$35.30
2018
Projected
$0.070
$0.21
$0.27
$0.08
<3” Meter
$27.06
>4” Meter
$36.47
Government Fee $0.29 $0.31 $0.33 $0.36 $0.38 $0.40
Consumption Block1 Proposed Current 2014 Proposed Projected 2015 Projected 2016 Projected 2017 Projected 2018
0 ‐ 49 0 ‐ 54 $3.87 $4.10 $4.36 $4.83 $5.08 $5.25
50 ‐ 132 55 ‐ 199 $3.95 $4.19 $4.45 $4.93 $5.19 $5.36
133+ 200+ $4.01 $4.25 $4.52 $5.00 $5.27 $5.44
Landscape, Agricultural, and Construction (3/4” ‐ 1” Meter)
Landscape, Agricultural, and Construction (3”+ Meter)
0 ‐ 1,044 0 ‐ 550 $3.87 $4.10 $4.36 $4.83 $5.08 $5.25
1,045 ‐ 8,067 551 ‐ 1,200 $3.95 $4.19 $4.45 $4.93 $5.19 $5.36
8,068+ 1,201+ $4.01 $4.25 $4.52 $5.00 $5.27 $5.44
Landscape, Agricultural, and Construction (1‐1/2 ‐ 2” Meter)
0 ‐ 144 0 ‐ 144 $3.87 $4.10 $4.36 $4.83 $5.08 $5.25
145 ‐ 355 145 ‐ 355 $3.95 $4.19 $4.45 $4.93 $5.19 $5.36
356+ 356+ $4.01 $4.25 $4.52 $5.00 $5.27 $5.44
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
LANDSCAPE, AGRICULTURAL, AND CONSTRUCTION WATER
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
LANDSCAPE, AGRICULTURAL, AND CONSTRUCTION WATER
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In Connection with Proposed
CHANGES TO RATES AND FEES FOR RECYCLED WATER SERVICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Otay Water District (the “District”)
will hold a Public Hearing on _______ __, 2013, at 3:30 p.m. in the
Board of Directors Meeting Room, 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.,
Spring Valley, CA 91978, to consider: (1) the adoption of rate increases
that apply with water billed beginning January 1, 2014; (2) authorize all
future pass‐through increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers; and, (3) authorize average rate increases not to
exceed 10 percent per year for all costs, other than the pass‐through
costs, for its recycled water service fees to the property for which you
are shown as the record owner or customer of record. The purpose of
the hearing is to consider all written protests against the proposed rate
increases and pass‐through costs to be imposed on properties within
the District. The amount of the rate and fee increases proposed to be
imposed and the basis upon which they were calculated is described in
more detail as follows.
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES
An overall average rate increase of 6.4 percent was considered by the
District’s Board of Directors as part of the annual budget review
process. The new water rates and fees will apply to water used as early
as the beginning of December 2013.
Recycled water rates are based on the cost of potable water from the
District’s wholesale suppliers. To continue providing reliable high
quality service, the District must implement rate increase and pass‐
through to its customers higher costs by those water wholesalers.
Producing and distributing recycled water is also costly. To help offset
the costs of supplying alternative water sources, the District receives
financial incentives from its wholesale water suppliers. Everyone
benefits from recycled water, including potable water customers
because it diversifies our water sources, therefore, potable and
recycled water rates are calculated in a combined manner. Recycled
rates are then discounted by 15 percent, recognizing the added
expense to use recycled water and passing along those incentives to
recycled water customers. Today, approximately 13 percent of the
District’s water supply is made up of recycled water, and there are
plans to continue expanding the system.
The rate structure has two basic components: fixed monthly charges
and variable monthly charges based on water consumption. The fixed
amounts are calculated to recover the fixed costs of operating and
maintaining the public water system and are based on the size of the
water meter serving the record owner or customer of record. Fixed
charges include the MWD & CWA fee, and the District’s System Fee.
The variable components of the rate structure will generally impose
greater charges as the level of water consumption increases. The
variable components are structured in such a way as to deter waste and
encourage conservation. The variable components of the bill include
the Water Rate, Energy Charge, and Water Charge By Improvement
District. The components are calculated to recover the proportionate
cost of providing the service attributable to each customer within each
customer class.
The District will also consider authorizing passing‐through to its
customers all future increased or decreased charges from water and
power suppliers. If adopted, the average customer’s water rates would
increase an amount sufficient to cover cost increases from wholesale
water and power suppliers, or similarly, decrease due to lower charges
from those suppliers. The pass‐through costs apply to increased or
decreased wholesale water costs from the District’s suppliers including
the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), San
Diego County Water Authority (CWA), Helix Water District, the City of
San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric. Any increases subsequently
implemented by the District would not exceed the cost of providing the
service and would be subject to a 30‐day prior written notice, but
would not be subject to additional hearings or protests.
In addition to pass‐through costs, the District will consider
authorizing average rate increases not to exceed 10 percent per year
for all costs related to operations and maintenance. The increases
would cover costs related to labor and benefits, materials,
maintenance, administrative expenses, as well as other operational
costs of providing recycled water service, including amounts required to
meet bond covenants and maintain adequate reserves and rate
stability.
District staff has performed a Cost of Service Study and Rate Study
(i.e. reviewed rates, fees, charges, costs, and the consumption usage
structure), and determined that increases in the rates and fees are
necessary in order to recover sufficient revenues to operate and
maintain the public water system. The proposed rate and fee structure
will provide revenue that recovers costs reasonably borne in providing
the service; are equitable to all customer classes; and are proportionate
to the cost of providing the service.
The water rate increase, in the average amount of 6.4 percent is
proposed to take effect with water billed on or after January 1, 2014,
and may apply to water used as early as the beginning of December
2013. This increase would pass‐through increases implemented by
water wholesalers and would allow the District to recover other recent
increases in operational costs. The water wholesalers do not anticipate
additional rate increases in 2014, but they do expect to implement
increases in January 2015 and in each subsequent year.
As the record owner or customer of record of a property identified to
be subject to the imposition of proposed rate or fee increases, you may
submit a written protest against the proposed actions. Provided,
however, if the identified property has more than one record owner
and/or customer of record, only one written protest will be counted.
Each protest must be in writing; state that the specific rate increase
(recycled water service rates and fees) for which the protest is being
submitted in opposition; provide the location of the identified property
(by assessor’s parcel number or street address); and include the original
signature of the record owner or customer of record submitting the
protest. Protests submitted by e‐mail, facsimile, or other electronic
means will not be accepted. Written protests may be submitted by mail
to the Board Secretary, Otay Water District, 2554 Sweetwater Springs
Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978, or in person at the public hearing, so
long as they are received prior to the conclusion of the public hearing.
Please identify on the front of the envelope for any protest, whether
mailed or submitted in person to the Board Secretary, that the enclosed
letter is for the Public Hearing on the Proposed Increase to Water
Rates.
(Continued on page 2)
Attachment R
Page 2
PROPOSED RECYCLED WATER RATES
At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will
consider adopting the proposed actions as described above. Oral
comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests
unless accompanied by a written protest. If, at the close of the public
hearing, written protests against the proposed rate and fee increases
are not presented by a majority of the record owners or customers of
record of the identified properties upon which they are proposed to be
imposed, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt the rate
increases. If adopted, the rates and charges will apply to water used as
early as the beginning of December 2013. This letter serves as a 30‐
day notice of proposed to rate increases.
This notice is being provided to you by the District pursuant to the
California Constitution Article XIIID (collectively know as “Proposition
218”). Under terms of Proposition 218, the District is required to notify
the record owner or customer of record of proposed changes to
property‐related fees such as water services. This letter serves as
notice that the District will hold a public hearing to consider changes to
its current water rates.
WHY ARE WATER RATE CHANGES NECESSARY?
The District is a revenue‐neutral public agency. To continue to
provide reliable, safe and high‐quality service, the District must
implement and pass‐through to its customers the higher cost of water
and energy imposed by suppliers. This year, as in recent years, a large
percentage of this increase is a direct result of higher costs from
suppliers and represents a direct pass‐through from those suppliers.
The water suppliers include the MWD, CWA, the Helix Water District,
and the City of San Diego. Similarly, increases or decreases from San
Diego Gas and Electric are pass‐through costs.
WHAT DO WATER RATES FUND?
The District is a revenue neutral public agency that provides water
service to your community. “Revenue neutral” means that water bills
reflects only those charges sufficient to support water service. Each
end user pays his or her fair share of the cost of purchasing water,
energy or pumping costs, labor and benefits, materials, chemicals used
in water treatment, administrative expenses, operations, construction
and maintenance of the public water system and facilities. This also
includes amounts required to meet bond covenants and to maintain
adequate reserves and rate stability. The District is a non‐profit public
agency, it does not make a profit from providing water service and it
cannot operate at a loss.
WHY ARE THE RATE CHANGES REQUIRED?
Wholesale suppliers are raising their rates as they work to obtain
new and more reliable supplies of water. This includes more reliable
emergency supplies, agricultural to urban water transfers, expansion
of existing water reservoirs, pipeline relining projects, new water
treatment plants, and new supplies including ocean water
desalination. In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring
imported water from the Colorado River and from Northern California.
For its part the District has continually worked to reduce internal
costs to absorb larger rate increases from suppliers. Since 2007,
suppliers have raised rates collectively by 82.4%, while the District has
blunted the effect of those increases reducing them to a lesser
increase of 69.1%. The District recognizes and is sensitive to the impact
the higher cost of water has to its customers. As a result, the District
works continually to reduce its internal costs, become more efficient,
while still providing the services customers rely upon and expect.
RELIABILITY AND SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION
Water is essential to our region’s quality of life. Our economy
depends on it. Families and businesses cannot survive without it.
Unfortunately, for San Diego residents, our county was not blessed
with an abundant natural supply of water. San Diego receives just 10
inches of rainfall per year on average, meeting just five percent of local
demand, and this is not enough to support our region’s population of
3.1 million people or its $188 billion economy. Because of our semi‐
arid climate, 82 percent of the water used locally must be imported
from sources hundreds of miles away. Not only is importing water
from Northern California and the Colorado River becoming increasingly
costly, but population growth, drought, environmental regulations,
litigation, competition for a scare resource, and increased power costs
are driving the price we pay higher.
San Diego’s wholesale and retail water agencies recognized the
region was highly dependent on imported water during a severe
drought that occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and began
working aggressively to develop a more reliable water supply system,
one that would also increase water independence, provide for future
population and economic needs and projections, and reduce the
likelihood of a future water shortage. Since then, major initiatives have
been undertaken to develop greater supply and reliability.
At the regional level, CWA signed a milestone agreement to address
decades of water disputes over the allocation of water from the
Colorado River. As part of that agreement, San Diego residents paid to
have old, leaky earthen canals in Imperial County lined to save water.
This “saved water” is now used by customers in San Diego County. For
instance, this year, the region will receive 80,000 acre‐feet of water
from the canal lining projects alone (enough water to supply
approximately 160,000 homes). In addition, through a combination of
land fallowing and efficiency‐based water conservation measures with
farmers in Imperial County, the region was able to purchase another
100,000 acre‐feet of water in 2012 (enough water to supply 200,000
existing homes). The water we receive from this part of the agreement
will ramp up to 200,000 acre‐feet per year by 2021.
Since the 1990s, the District has also embarked on its own efforts to
develop new supply and today operates one of the largest recycled
water networks in California. As a benefit, when the drought hit our
region in 2008, because of the public’s investments in a public recycled
water system used for landscape irrigation, mandatory water
conservation was not imposed on District customers. Today, the
District is actively supporting the development of an ocean water
desalination facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. When built, the high‐
quality water from this facility could replace up to two‐thirds of the
water we receive from the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Bay Delta and the
Colorado River.
A result of the major projects is that cost of water has risen, and it is
an expense being borne by all consumers. Rising costs are difficult for
everyone financially, but by making these investments in new supply
and in improved reliability, we can better ensure families, businesses,
and the local economy, will always have the water we need.
(Continued from page 1)
Page 3
This information reflects only
changes to rates. For a
comprehensive listing of rates,
please see the
Otay Water District’s Code of
Ordinances at
www.otaywater.gov.
Meter Size Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
3/4" $16.74 $16.19 $17.23 $19.05 $20.06 $20.72
1" $21.26 $22.87 $24.33 $26.91 $28.34 $29.27
1 1/2" $32.57 $39.58 $42.11 $46.58 $49.05 $50.66
2" $46.13 $59.62 $63.44 $70.16 $73.88 $76.32
3" $82.39 $113.08 $120.32 $133.07 $140.12 $144.75
4" $122.99 $173.22 $184.31 $203.84 $214.65 $221.73
6" $236.02 $340.29 $362.07 $400.45 $421.67 $435.59
8" $371.64 $540.76 $575.37 $636.36 $670.08 $692.20
10" $529.88 $774.64 $824.22 $911.58 $959.90 $991.57
System Fee2 by Meter Size and Projected
Recycled Usage Fee (3/4” ‐ 1” Meter) and Projected
Consumption
Block1
2014
Proposed Current
2014
Proposed
2015
Projected
2016
Projected
2017
Projected
2018
Projected
0 ‐ 42 0 ‐ 32 $3.31 $3.51 $3.73 $4.13 $4.35 $4.49
43 ‐ 97 33 ‐ 75 $3.35 $3.55 $3.78 $4.18 $4.40 $4.54
98+ 76+ $3.42 $3.62 $3.86 $4.26 $4.49 $4.64
Recycled (1.5” ‐ 2” Meter)
0 ‐ 168 0 ‐ 130 $3.31 $3.51 $3.73 $4.13 $4.35 $4.49
169 ‐ 402 131 ‐ 325 $3.35 $3.55 $3.78 $4.18 $4.40 $4.54
403+ 326+ $3.42 $3.62 $3.86 $4.26 $4.49 $4.64
Recycled (3” ‐ 4” Meter)
0 ‐ 403 0 ‐ 440 $3.31 $3.51 $3.73 $4.13 $4.35 $4.49
404 ‐ 820 441 ‐ 1,050 $3.35 $3.55 $3.78 $4.18 $4.40 $4.54
821+ 1,051+ $3.42 $3.62 $3.86 $4.26 $4.49 $4.64
Recycled (>6” Meter)
0 ‐ 7,916 0 ‐ 4,000 $3.31 $3.51 $3.73 $4.13 $4.35 $4.49
7,917 ‐ 16,357 4,001 ‐ 10,000 $3.35 $3.55 $3.78 $4.18 $4.40 $4.54
16,358+ 10,001+ $3.42 $3.62 $3.86 $4.26 $4.49 $4.64
Recycled Commercial (<10” Meter)
0 ‐ 173 0 ‐ 173 $2.38 $2.52 $2.68 $2.97 $3.13 $3.23
174 ‐ 831 174 ‐ 831 $2.45 $2.60 $2.76 $3.06 $3.22 $3.32
821+ 832+ $2.47 $2.62 $2.78 $3.08 $3.24 $3.35
0 – 7,426 0 – 7,426 $2.38 $2.52 $2.68 $2.97 $3.13 $3.23
7,427 ‐ 14,616 7,427 ‐ 14,616 $2.45 $2.60 $2.76 $3.06 $3.22 $3.32
14,617 14,617 $2.47 $2.62 $2.78 $3.08 $3.24 $3.35
Recycled Commercial (10” or Larger Meter)
Other
Charges Current
2014
Proposed
Energy Charge3 $0.042 $0.048
2015
Projected
$0.051
2016
Projected
$0.056
2017
Projected
$0.059
2018
Projected
$0.061
Government Fee $0.29 $0.31 $0.33 $0.36 $0.38 $0.39
Footnotes
1. Recycled water rates are based on meter
size and the number of recycled water units
used each month. One unit of recycled
water equals 748 gallons of water.
2. System Fees are based on the meter size. The
System Fee is increasing to pay for higher water
system replacement, maintenance, and operating
expenses.
3. The Energy Charge represents the cost of energy
required to pump each unit of water 100 feet in
elevation. This is charged proportionately for every
foot of elevation over 450 feet. This increase is due
to increased power costs to the District.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
RECYCLED WATER SERVICE
Dedicated to Community Service
WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT ___
SAN DIEGO, CA Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978‐2004
www.otaywater.gov
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
RECYCLED WATER SERVICE