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Community Corner

ALAMEDA COUNTY WATER DISTRICT

Board of Directors to Consider Adoption of Drought Surcharges to Combat Financial Impacts of the Drought

The Alameda County Water District (ACWD) will host a public hearing on Thursday, July 17 at 6 p.m., during which the Board of Directors will consider the adoption of drought surcharges to combat the financial impacts of the drought.  These impacts include decreased revenue due to reduced demand, additional and more expansive conservation efforts, and increased water supply costs. 

The surcharges are intended to stabilize revenues and promote conservation while maintaining affordable water service.

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“ACWD has taken a number of steps to mitigate the loss in revenue we have seen as a result of the drought,” said ACWD General Manager Walt Wadlow.  “We have cut our budget, eliminated or are holding vacant a number of positions, deferred $20 million in planned capital projects, utilized a $10 million rate stabilization fund, and will issue a revenue bond,” Wadlow went on to say.

When it became evident that these measures would not close the financial gap, staff proposed, as a last resort, the implementation of drought surcharges.

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For single-family residential customers, the drought surcharges would be in the form of three inclining tiers.  For all other customers, a uniform drought surcharge of $0.46 would be applied to each unit of water used.

Single-Family Residential – Tier One (0-16 units)

$0.00

Single-Family Residential – Tier Two (over 16-30 units)

$1.48 per unit

Single-Family Residential – Tier Three (over 30 units)

$2.00 per unit

All Other Customers: Business, Multi-Family Residential, etc.

$0.46 per unit

1 unit = 748 gallons

The public hearing will be held in the ACWD Headquarters Board Room located at 43885 S. Grimmer Blvd., Fremont, 94538.

For more information on ACWD, visit: www.acwd.org or call 510.668.4200.

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