Yermo water rates, charges rising slightly (September 30, 2015)

PUC OKs new fee structure for Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company

YERMO — Residents will start paying slightly more for water beginning in October, according to Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company.

Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company completed its $300,000 purchase of the Yermo Water Company last month. The company said afterward that it planned to invest $1.1 million in initial capital improvements. The company is also pursuing grant money to replace aging and inadequate infrastructure.

According to financial services manager Eric Larsen, Apple Valley Ranchos received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to increase fees. He said the new fee structure is set up a little differently from the previous Yermo Water billing system.

Yermo Water users are presently charged $1.77 per 100 cubic feet of water. The new fee structure has three levels. Tier 1 is listed as $2.50 for the first 13 measurements [units] of 100 cubic feet of water. The rate rises to $2.81 at Tier 2, which is 13 measurements [units] of 100 cubic feet. Tier 3 is $3.13 for 26 measurements [units] of 100 cubic feet.

Service charges per meter also will rise slightly. The new rate for 5/8x¾-inch meters is $23.03, up from $21.89. A ¾-inch meter rises from $32.84 to $34.55. A 1-inch meter is now $57.58, up from $54.74.

Larsen said the bills that users will receive in the next few days will reflect the old rates. The next bill after that will reflect the new rates.

Larsen said the company expects water users in Yermo to receive reasonable bills.

I would be astounded if there were any big water users out there, he said. It’s mostly modest homes, no thirsty landscape. I’m not anticipating big water bills. The bills will be slightly higher.

Source: Mike Lamb, Desert Dispatch