EVMWD Customers To See Only Slight Rate Increase

The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District board voted unanimously on Thursday to approve the District’s $54.6 million operating budget and rates for the upcoming 2012-13 fiscal year that begins July 1.

The only increase customers will see on their bill beginning next fiscal year will be a $0.47 per month increase on their meter charge, which equates to about $5.64 for the whole year, the water district announced Friday.

“Despite increases in imported water costs from Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the addition of 1,500 new customers, the efforts by EVMWD’s customers to use less water along with district-wide operational efficiencies and the use of the district’s rainy day fund allowed the board of directors to approve a budget with no residential sewer or water rate increases,” the announcement said.

“This year Metropolitan, our main source of imported water for our customers, ” said EVMWD General Manager Ron Young. “That put us in a tough position … we are going to do everything we can to help protect (our customers) from the rate increases we are facing.”

According to Friday’s announcement, conservation efforts among EVMWD customers has led to a 28 percent reduction in residential water use over the past three years, which has reduced the district’s need to rely on more expensive imported water.

“We deeply appreciate the partnership we have with our customers, so keeping their rates level was our biggest goal for this budget,” said Board President Harvey Ryan.  “We have always said that saving water saves money and this is a perfect example of that.”