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Chico Council To Oppose Higher Water Bills

Bart
/
Flickr, Creative Commons

Irritated at the prospect of paying more, and perturbed at other aspects of a California Water Service rate hike proposal, Chico officials Tuesday night moved to try and block it. Trouble is, it’s pretty much out of the city’s hands.

The investor-owned utility, known locally as Cal Water, is regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.

The company submits a new rate proposals every three years. Cal Water is seeking permission to substantially increase rates. Both the monthly service charge and actual cost of water would soar 21 percent by 2019. Cal Water said the average monthly bill would climb about $10.

But it was the other part of the proposal, a plan to consolidate divisions within the company and unify rates that elicited the most push back. Paul Townsley, Cal Water’s vice president of regulatory matters, said the company is seeking to join its Chico, Marysville, Oroville and Willows service districts under one umbrella. Chico, which pays slightly less now, would see comparatively bigger increases than elsewhere. The council was not pleased.

Neither was resident Michael Reilley.

“This is a three-year rate increase — they’ll be asking for another increase in three years and another one three years after that,” he said.

Butte County Supervisor Maureen Kirk urged the council attain so-called “party” status with the Public Utilities Commission, to formally oppose the proposal. A move they took unanimously.

It is unclear if the vote will result in anything more than the airing of grievances, though Kirk and others said an outpouring of public ire may force the commission to approve a smaller increase.

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