Santa Margarita Water Board Cutting Rates Again

Residents in eastern Mission Viejo and unincorporated communities to the south can expect yet another decrease in their water rates, beginning Oct. 1.

The Santa Margarita Water District board of directors voted for the third year in a row to lower prices, approving a $186,000 residential rate decrease for 1998-99.

Residents will soon be paying $1.43 per unit, or 748 gallons, down from $1.50 last year. Customers probably will not notice the 7-cent reduction in their monthly bill since the average household only uses about 120 gallons each month.

Although the Metropolitan Water District, which supplies water to the SMWD, has been increasing its rates for a number of years, the local agency does not expect a rate increase for its customers until 2003.

John Schatz, the district’s general manager, said technological advances and reductions in staff have saved customers about $1.3 million since 1996.

The Santa Margarita Water District serves about 80,000 customers in eastern Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza and areas east of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.