Dear Editor,
Over the past few years, I voiced my opposition to the Santa
Clara Valley Water District rate increases on the well water pump
tax. I have written letters to the editor. I also made
presentations in front of the Water District Board of Directors
about the ever-increasing water rates.
Dear Editor,
Over the past few years, I voiced my opposition to the Santa Clara Valley Water District rate increases on the well water pump tax. I have written letters to the editor. I also made presentations in front of the Water District Board of Directors about the ever-increasing water rates.
What I find is that this water board is not properly overseeing the district’s staff budgets each year for water-rate increases. This year the District Staff informed the rate payers that the cost of water from the Central Valley Water Project has gone up by $700,000, when in fact the CVP contract rates have not increased in the last five years.
I have lived in San Martin for 18 years and I keep excellent records. Over that time period my phone bill increase by 25.2 percent, and my PG&E bill has gone up by 161.6 percent. My water bill from the Santa Clara Valley Water District has increased by 877.2 percent. There is definitely something wrong with these outlandish water rate increases.
Why is it that in 1986, the last year that Gavilan Water Conservation District had responsibility for all the ground water from Tennant Avenue south to the San Benito County line, well owners were never charged a pump tax? Only the City of Gilroy was charged $25 an acre foot. Then in 1987, the Santa Clara Valley Water District started charging all of us for water that had been free from natural recharge.
I can understand why the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors decided to sever official ties as the oversight agency for the water district’s budget. But at the Tuesday, Aug. 9 County Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Don Gage stated that once people get fed up with water rates and understand what’s going on, the water board will be accountable. The water board has not been accountable and needs to be replaced by people that can understand a budget.
It is up to the ratepayers to remove these directors. If they are not replaced, we will all see very high increases in South County water rates in the next 10 years.
Robert J. Cerruti, San Martin
