Letter to the Editor—Don’t Ask Me About Water Rates
I introduced myself to the Sweetwater Valley Civic Association three years ago to share what I knew about our local water rates.
I had attended public meetings, read reports, and reviewed data that was available at the time. After the formal rate hearing, I wrote an Op-Ed.
Today, my water rates response is “no comment.”
It’s a public water utility’s prerogative to set their customer rates.
Their rate setting process does not have an independent oversight group like the California Public Utilities Commission to deem their rates just and reasonable.
A legal challenge would be expensive for both parties. It could take a decade to work through the courts.
Precedence-setting appellate court rulings [deemed problematic for public agencies] have been counteracted by State Law amendments.
Que Sera, Sera
Karen Henry
Footnotes:
1. The Association of California Water Agencies is a powerful coalition. ACWA represents approximately 470 public agency members that deliver about 90 percent of the state’s water.
2. State Law amendments enacted recently: SB 1072, AB 1827, & AB 2257 (2024) and AB 2180 (2026).
3. Local watchdogs, Mike Seiler, Dave Schlesinger, and Mike Sampsel, walked away from advocacy not too long ago. Their engagement, which lasted over a decade, did not eliminate the “unfair” tiered water rates for single family residential customers. Yet, the settlement of their 2015 lawsuit eliminated an unlawful low-volume use subsidy.
4. The majority [4 of 7] of our local water board represents areas of western Chula Vista.
Abbreviations
AB= Assembly Bill
SB= Senate Bill
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