Arcadia Officials Now Seeking Water Rate Hike, Residents Voice Disapproval at Council Meeting

The Public Works Services Department met before the Arcadia City Council Tuesday night with a proposal for a tiered water rate structure that would charge a larger amount per unit of water as the level of consumption increases, as outlined in California Proposition 218.

The proposal comes close on the heels of a recently passed rate hike in Sierra Madre that has faced strong . The City of South Pasadena recently as well.

Deputy Public Works Services Director Ken Herman stated before the Council that a water rate increase is a “monetary incentive” to influence residents to conserve water, as part of a plan proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown, despite the recent announcement of the end to the drought last month.

“Over the past 10 years Arcadia has pumped an average of 2,300 acre feet more water than it's allotted rights in the main San Gabriel ground water basin,” Herman said. “This is roughly equivalent to a football field full of water a half mile tall.”

Herman presented a three-tiered watering structure that would provide the same revenue as the current rate structure. Herman recommended an increase of 1.07 percent, in keeping with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2010, and increases over the next five years to equal the CPI for the previous year.

The target of the proposed hike would be single family and multi-family residents who use approximately 80 percent of the total water pumped.

Public Works plans to meet with commercial and small business owners to discuss ways they can help conserve water also. These businesses, including and the neighboring are not included in the rate hike, which has some residents upset.

“The resolution seems to be if you raise rates, people will use less water. But there are many that can’t afford the green lawns that are required by city code or afford improvements to properties that keep Arcadia beautiful,” said Arcadia resident Robert Mitchley.

Julia Fendrick also opposed the increase, wondering why “21 percent of the water users are not included in this proposal." 

Mary Dougherty, the President of the Santa Anita Oaks Homeowners Association, also took to the podium to make her case.

“If this rate is approved, it will mean for most of our users will have a 12 to 16 percent increase in their water rates.  It just isn’t equitable," Dougherty said.

Council Member Bob Harbicht wanted to clarify that if residents used exactly the amount they are using now, the total money coming to the City of Arcadia water division would stay the same. “It’s revenue neutral. It’s important that people understand that this isn’t a way to get more money, it’s a way to change people’s habits,” Harbicht said.

Mayor Pro Tem Gary Kovacic acknowledged that residents with bigger properties including home owners who are encouraged to have nice lawns and landscapes are getting hit with the largest rates in the three-tiered proposal and no breaks are being given taking that into consideration. “Why not just increase the price of water across the board?” Kovacic suggested. 

Public Works Services Director Tom Tait said that a small increase across the board would not accomplish the water conservation goals. “I think when we all know if we are going to pay a lot more for water, we are going to look at our water usage and water habits,” Tait said.

Despite the increases, Arcadia will still have one of the lower water rates in the area, according to city officlals.

The City Council will continue discussion of the proposed hike on April 20 at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. If the council votes to authorize Public Works to follow Prop. 218 balloting procedues for the tiered water rate structure, a public hearing will be held June 7 to adopt the proposal.