Water battle's last Valley session Thursday

Thursday may be the last time a proposal for consolidating rates for the county's water systems will come up in Carson Valley before commissioners consider adoption.

County commissioners have set aside an hour to hear public comment and discuss consolidation. The final action on the resolution to consolidate the water systems is scheduled for June 17 in Stateline.

New rates for the three Lake Tahoe systems include installing meters at all locations by July 1, 2013. The cost of the meters will be added to Tahoe customers' bills as a monthly surcharge. A Lake Tahoe customer with a 3/4-inch water line would pay $56.48 a month plus $17.06 a month for the meter. Once meters are installed in 2013, Tahoe customers would pay a lower base rate, but would also have to pay for the water they use.

Customers of the largest water system operated by the county, East Valley, will find their base rate increased from $20.60 a month now to $23.91 a month by July 1, 2013. Their monthly volume charge would more than double from $1.41 per 1,000 gallons to $3.44 for up to 8,000 gallons. All amounts are for a 3/4-inch water line. East Valley residents using up to 24,000 gallons would see their use bill go from $2.26 per 1,000 gallons to $4.07 per 1,000 gallons in 2013.

West Valley water customers would see their base rate rise from $15.85 to $23.91. Their volume charge per 1,000 gallons would triple from a $1.10 for the first 8,000 gallons to $3.44.

Residents of Jobs Peak will see their monthly base rate go from $65 a month down to $23.91. However, starting July 1 Jobs Peak and Sheridan Acres water customers will have to pay a user rate in addition to the base rate. The use charge for the first 8,000 gallons at both water companies will be $3.44 starting July 1. Usage of between 8,000 and 24,000 gallons a month will cost $4.07 a month starting July 1 for a 3/4-inch line.

By requiring Tahoe residents to pay for their own meters through a surcharge, and extending the system reinvestment from five to 10 years, the average bill for Valley residents will be reduced by $17 to $91 a month. Tahoe residents would see no change in their bills.

According to information released by the county, the average customer uses 17,700 gallons of water a month. The county serves the equivalent of 5,084 households.

Without consolidation, even the East Valley and West Valley customers would see their rates increase over the next four years. However, residents of Jobs Peak will see their rates shoot from $65 in 2010 to $579 a month.

With consolidation, rates for East Valley residential customers will go up $25 a month, and West Valley customers will see a $6 increase.