AVR customers face another $200/year increase (December 17, 2015)
The average household served by Apple Valley Ranchos will see its water bill increase by 28.7 percent – or more than $200 per year – after the California Public Utilities Commission approved the company’s latest rate request.
The increase, retroactive to November 24, continues a pattern in which AVR customers have seen their water charges rise significantly since 2002.
Even households that reduce water usage by 28 percent – the conservation goal set under Gov. Jerry Brown’s drought order – will see their annual water bills go up, under the final ruling.
It would have been even worse had the Town not intervened,
said Barb Stanton, Apple Valley Mayor ProTem, who noted that the Town convinced the CPUC to eliminate $11 million in unnecessary tank and office construction projects.
The CPUC is used to rubber stamping AVR’s requests. While we’re grateful that $11 million in needless spending was eliminated, no one is happy about AVR’s corporate owner – the Carlyle Group – lining its pockets at our expense.
In addition to the 28.7 percent increase, AVR customers may see additional new charges in the coming months, related to drought-related revenue shortfalls and the company’s purchase of the Yermo Water System.
Last month, the Town Council adopted two separate Resolutions of Necessity to acquire the Apple Valley Water System by eminent domain.
Recent public opinion polling shows that 70 percent of residents support acquisition.
Visit www.avH2Ours.com for more information.
Source: TOAV
Webmaster note: This was never true, and has been thoroughly debunked. The Town knows this, yet Town representatives keep repeating it. Stupid or corrupt? You decide!