Tier 1 will increase from 4,000 gallons per share per month to 8,000. This will lower our monthly bills because we will get more at the Tier 1 rate of $4.00 per 1,000 gallons and less at the Tier 2 rate of $8.10 and the Tier 3 rate of $15.50. Crestview revenues will decrease about $154,000 per year.
The pros and cons of this choice are summarized here, and more details were provided at the August 11 meeting.
If our consumption remains on trend, we will finish the water year on September 30 with 35 acre-feet of our groundwater allocation unpumped. We can add that to our allocation for the next water year. Our allocation for 2022-23 is 748 AcFt and will be the same in 2023-24, according to the general manager.
Because Well #4 was out of service until October 28, we had to buy 76 AcFt from Calleguas during October. So if, as projected, we get to September 30 with 35 AcFt of our allocation unpumped, we will have received a total of 789 AcFt (748 + 76 – 35) of groundwater and imported water this year, and will be allowed to pump 783 AcFt (748 + 35) next year–almost identical quantities.
An encouraging fact is that conservation efforts by shareholders probably did not begin in earnest until spring 2022, when water suppliers, including Crestview, began to publicize the deep, deep cuts in the availability of imported water and adopt mandatory demand reduction programs. Thus, IF we all continue for all of next year all of the conservation measures we adopted this year, we should consume even less than we did this year when those measures were in effect for less than half a year.
The bad news is that it could be hotter and drier next year, pushing shareholders to increase their consumption—especially with a smaller price signal. The general manager reported that on August 10 the National Weather Service predicted a 62-66% probability that our drought conditions will continue through 2023.
Directors Chooljian, Off, and Whitlock voted for the rate change, and directors Quezada and Bennett abstained.
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