To the relief of homeowners in Douglas County's smallest water system, commissioners voted Thursday to consolidate their water rates with customers in the Valley's largest system.
The board voted unanimously to include the 34 homeowners and four businesses in Sunrise Estates/Fairgrounds district with the East Valley's approximately 1,800 customers.
The vote ended months of speculation and worry from Sunrise Estate residents that they would lose their homes as they watched their water bills increase 319 percent to an estimated $1,090 minimum a month in 2014.
Carol Brundige, a Sunrise subdivision resident since 1988, urged commissioners to approve consolidating the systems.
"We are in a crisis," she said. "We are one county. We all need to work together. Most people can afford a 30-cent to $7 monthly increase."
She and her husband Bruce have spearheaded the neighborhood response to the proposed increase with meetings, letters and appearances at commission meetings.
"This should not be an us vs. them issue," Bruce Brundige said. "If the roles were reversed, we would not object to an increase. In fact we have done that from 1987-1997 with contributions to the county's '210' fund. We need your help today."
Jim Phelps told the board he and his wife were retirees living on fixed incomes in their Crockett Lane home.
"Our last bill had higher rates of 200 percent even though our water usage went down 35 percent," he said. "The primary impact is that we have had to postpone purchases until we hear your decision. If we remain where we are, the local economy will suffer as we will not be able to buy as we are now."
Public Works Director Carl Ruschmeyer told the board staff was investigating grants from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Carson Water Subconservancy District among other sources to help cover the cost of a $2.5 million water tank to address the water system's arsenic problem.
While residents proposed the county wait to implement the hikes until they hear whether the grants are awarded, Commissioner Doug Johnson said that wasn't how the system worked.
"To slow the process down until the money becomes available, that doesn't work," Johnson said. "You have to show what's in place to get the money. We are doing our best due diligence to get these things paid for."
The consolidation of the Valley's largest and smallest systems means East Valley customers' rates will go up about $7 a month.
For the past two months, Sunrise Estates customers paid an average of $189. The new average rate of $58.19 is retroactive to Dec. 1.
East Valley customer Roy Conover told the board he was in favor of the increase.
"We support the Sunrise folks and lend our support," he said. "We believe in the county's mission statement to act with integrity and accountability."
That was countered by East Valley customer Stuart Posselt, a frequent critic of the water rate hikes.
"It's alleged that somebody said East Valley would not mind a few dollars increase," Posselt said. "I did not say that. I said connect them, but don't make East Valley pay for it. It's the entire county's fault. Don't make a few users in East Valley pay for it."
Posselt said he'd been assured that one commissioner whom he did not identify promised to vote against the increase, but the vote was unanimous by the board to consolidate the systems.
