SIMI VALLEY : Council OKs Lower Rates for Water Use

The Simi Valley City Council has decided to readjust its water rates to reflect reduced restrictions imposed by the city’s main supplier.

The council voted 5 to 0 Monday night to approve the new rate schedule that is retroactive to April 1.

The council’s action follows the decision last week by Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to reduce its mandated water restrictions that initially called for overall 50% cutbacks from all of its customers.

The MWD reduced its cutbacks to 31% as a result of last month’s heavy rainfall.

Under Simi Valley’s new rate structure, residential customers will be penalized if they use more than 4,400 cubic feet or 32,892 gallons of water during the city’s two-month billing period.

This translates to about 550 gallons per household a day, up from 474 gallons allowed under the previous billing schedule, said Ron Coons, director of public works.

Residents will pay 65 cents for each 100 cubic feet of the allowed amount. One hundred cubic feet is equal to 748 gallons.

Customers using more than the allotted 4,400 cubic feet will pay a conservation rate of $1.28 per 100 cubic feet of water exceeding 3,800 cubic feet, Coons said.

The new rate structure also requires commercial and industrial customers to use 20% less water than in 1990 and agricultural customers to use 50% less or face similar rate increases.

The new rates affect more than 17,000 households, 1,200 commercial and industrial users, and 43 agricultural customers who receive MWD water through the Calleguas Municipal Water District.